CLOVIS ROUNDUP DOES THE PUMPKIN PATCH CRAWL FEATURED // PG 6
Clovis R undup C E N TR A L
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CVMD’s 5th annual Halloween ‘Spooktacular’ mixes tradition with New Age
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Message from Chris Ekk, Fire Chief
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B.O.O.T. Hosts Fall Wine Walk in Old Town Clovis
Chris Ekk Clovis Fire Chief
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crafts, face painting and a trickor-treat trail. But this 5th Annual Spooktacular did not start on a whim, but rather has a background that includes another Clovis tradition. According to the CVMD, Clovis residents used to partake in a Halloween Costume Parade,
October 23, 2023 - “Service With Pride” is our fire department’s motto and the men and women of your Clovis Fire Department are dedicated to providing the highest level of service to our community. It is my honor to be the fire chief of our department and to work with our highly trained and professional firefighters and civilian staff to keep Clovis the safest city in the valley. I have over 23 years of
See SPOOKTACULAR, Pg. 4
See EKK, Pg. 5
Photo courtesy of Clovis Veterans Memorial District Guests dressed up for the 5th Annual Halloween Spooktacular event on Saturday October 21st at Clovis Veterans Memorial District. J.T. GOMEZ jt21gomez@gmail.com
October 21st, 2023 - Saturday the Clovis Veterans Memorial District celebrated the Halloween holiday with their own celebration, the “Halloween Spooktacular”. Spooktacular is
EDUCATION
Terry P. Bradley Educational Center Groundbreaking PAGE 14
held with the goal of providing family fun while offering the opportunity to meet veterans involved with the CVMD. Families and friends alike were encouraged to wear their favorite Halloween costumes, play games, and enjoy bounce houses,
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DSACC event hopes to raise awareness of the value of down syndrome individuals a kitchen table in June of 1999. Since the foundation for DSACC was established all those years October 23, 2023 - October is ago, they have grown signifiDown Syndrome Awareness cantly. They now help nearly Month, which makes it the 1000 individuals. perfect month for the Down Syndrome Association of Central Their event, Step Up for Down Syndrome, started over 20 years California’s (DSACC) annual ago as the “Buddy Walk”, which Step Up for Down Syndrome is now a nationally copyrighted event. walk. DSACC was founded by five families from the Central Valley, Executive Director Jennifer and began with a meeting around Whiting said that the goal of the Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup
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Photo by Destiny De La Cruz, Clovis Roundup Volunteers Alex Andrade (right) Alyssa Stevens (left)
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What’s Up, Clovis? CHECK OUT THE BUZZ AROUND TOWN Photos by Ron Sundquist
Our Wonderful Community
Wine Walk
Dog of the week
Thank you to Terry for all the hard work he puts in at The Rodeo Cafe in Old Town Clovis!
Did you grab a drink at the Old Town Clovis Wine Walk? Read more about it on page 7!
Stella enjoying Old Town Clovis with her owner, Abraham.
Step Up for Down Syndrome
Sharon at the Old Town Trading Company showing off her beautiful Halloween decorations.
Thank you Vincent for being so enthusiastic to read our paper!
Honoring Noah Llanos at the Step Up for Down Syndrome event. Read more about it on the next page!
A "Spooktacular" time at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District!
So many kids came in costume to celebrate the spirit and fun of Halloween!
VFW Post 3225 came to share the Halloween cheer at CVMD's Spooktacular.
How spooky! Ghostly displays have been up since the beginning of October at the Clovis Veteran's Memorial District!
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Local mom fundraising for son's service dog Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup
October 20, 2023 - A Clovis mother needs your help to get her son a service dog.
Janine Brodeur is a single mother who works full time. Her youngest child is 9 year old Cooper, a student at Mickey Cox elementary in a Special Day Class. His mother says he has a great support system at school between his one-on-one aid and his teacher that he has had for the last three years. Cooper has Down Syndrome—and he has had many medical challenges since he was born. He wasn’t able to walk until he was 4 years old, and his body tires very easily. His mother was just recently able to finally get a wheelchair approved after several months of dealing with insurance. He has a good vocabulary, but it is still
limited and this causes him communication frustration. He can sometimes be very sensitive to sounds and other parts of his surroundings. His mom has to be very cautious when they are out and about.
Raising children as a single mother—including a child with disabilities—is incredibly difficult physically, emotionally, and of course, financially.
This is a chance for our community to come Two major concerns for his mother is that together to change a child’s life, therefore Cooper doesn’t have safety awareness, and that changing a family’s life. he is at risk for elopement a.k.a. flight risk. “The dog will be trained to sleep with These are just a couple examples of why it is him at night to keep him warm and calm. so important that Cooper gets a service dog. During the day the dog will be a comfort when having a melt down, transitioning in “Everything is kind of a battle, but we are daily life, redirecting behaviors, providing looking to get a puppy [. . .] to be a comfort deep pressure during meltdowns, keeping and a companion for him,” said his mother him safe outside and in public areas. A true Janine Brodeur. constant companion,” said Janine. Here’s the thing, service dogs are very expensive. Between the cost of adopting the Please, visit Janine’s gofundme and give puppy and the cost of the necessary training, what you can—anything helps! Even a dollar or five is greatly appreciated. If we all give a the price tag is a minimum of several thoulittle, Cooper will be able to get his service sand dollars.
dog in no time.
Gofundme: Companion - Service Dog for Down Syndrome Child by Janine Brodeur
Photo contributed by Janine Brodeur
Soroptimist International of Clovis Present Denim and Diamonds Carole Grosch
cgg266@comcast.net
Soroptimist International of Clovis (SIC) held their annual Denim & Diamonds fundraiser on Saturday, October 21, 2023. Over 200 guests arrived at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District ready for a fun evening. They weren’t disappointed.
Before enjoying a delicious dinner, provided by the Clovis Kawanis Club, everyone had the opportunity to peruse the auction items. Both a live and silent auction were held and offered a variety of items: a helicopter ride, gift baskets, specialized services, gift cards and so much more. It was no surprise the mouth-watering dessert auction table generated a high level of attention.
Led by line dance instructor Debbie Beilage, The global volunteer organization works at a folks danced the night away to the upbeat local, national, and international level. music of the band, Country Rewind. “It was better than being in class,” shared Clovis Soroptimist president, Linda Gillis, one Dream It Be It attendee about the thanked Soroptimist supporters and introprogram. “I discovered careers where I can duced recipients from the organization’s make a difference.” Dream programs: Dream It Be It for girls A Live Your Dream winner told how the in secondary school and Live Your Dream, financial award changed her life. that provides cash grants for educational and “I’m getting my bachelor's this spring then training programs for women who are head of households and are working to better their plan to get my master's degree...it’s all because of that check,” she said. lives through education and skills training. “This is why we do what we do,” said Gillis. The Soroptimist network has about 72,000 “We already have 33 applicants for Live club members in 121 countries. Their mission is to “provide women and girls with Your Dream.” access to the education and training they You can learn more about investing in need to achieve economic empowerment.” dreams by visiting siclovis.org.
Photo by Carole Grosch The dessert table, where savory auction items are on display.
SPOOKTACULAR
participants would gather in the gym. They dined on hot dogs, popcorn, and CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE soda donated by downtown merchants where participants would gather in front and watched Halloween movies in of the Carnegie Library and parade black and white. They also awarded the down Pollasky Avenue. winners of different costume categories The parade itself would then end around and presented them with a candy bar for a prize.” what is now the Liberty Ballroom at the Memorial District, which used to be In remembrance and celebration of the the District’s former gymnasium, and Halloween Parade, the CVMD then involved a movie night for parade partic- began what is now known as the Hallowipants and the public. een Spooktacular. Taking place outside CVMD Chairman Tom Wright remem- on Memorial District grounds, the Spooktacular doesn’t have a parade, but bered the parade saying, “The Hallowdid have plenty of spirited people in line een parade ended at the District and with the Halloween celebration.
The District states they saw a need to continue this tradition for Clovis residents while updating the way in which it is run. The question of a possible parade in the future was not rejected, but it is not on the forefront of plans as of the moment. Local veterans and service organizations enthusiastically agreed and generously donated resources, time and energy to help host the event with the CVMD. The Halloween Spooktacular is a free event and open to the public and will look to take place next year as it’s sixth year in operation.
The following organizations helped the CVMD to run this year’s event. • VFW Post 3225 • American Legion 147 • Young Marines • Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 933 • Blue Star Mothers • Clovis Rotary • VFW Post 3225 Auxiliary • Big Brothers, Big Sisters • Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig • Fresno County Service Officer • CenterStage Clovis Community Theatre • VA CDCE • Clovis Lions Club • DAV
rodeo ground event area with members of our community. CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE There were many organizations preswalk and the event itself is to, ent, as well as small businesses run by raise awareness of the values, abilities, people with Down Syndrome, a few and joy [our down syndrome individuals] local food options, and more. bring to the community.” Some of the organizations and busiThis year’s event had 600 particinesses included: Inclusion Learning pants, about 200 of which have Down Center (Inclusive child care center), Syndrome. DSACC was able to fill the Friends Early Intervention (by Fresno
County Superintendent of Schools), 2 Cool Dudes (Cookies & More), Scentered Ca (products made from lavender grown in the exact center of California), Central Valley Regional Center (CVRC), Empower (Speech therapy & life skills center), Central California Parent magazine, Fresno State’s Kremen Wayfinders (2-year non-degree independent living certificate program), Exceptional Parents
Unlimited (EPU, Parent education & support), Kiwanis Aktion Club, Limitless Disability Ministry (NorthPointe Community Church), and Panda Fresh Farms. Whiting said that the purpose of Step Up for Down Syndrome was “not only raising awareness, but a great opportunity for families to connect to each other and to local resources and to the community at large.”
DSACC
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20th annual Step Up for Down Syndrome held at Clovis Rodeo Grounds Whiting also explained that there were about 30 vendors with 9 vendors who have Down syndrome themselves October 22, 2023 - The Down Syndrome while owning and operating their own Association of Central California businesses. (DSACC) held their 20th Annual “Step “This event is not only about raising Up for Down Syndrome” event at the awareness but about connecting with Clovis Rodeo Grounds Saturday, Octolocal resources.” ber 21st. DeAndra Inman, President of the Present at the event were booths lined Board of Directors for DSACC says with fun games and activities as well as that DSACC not only gives support but information on Down syndrome geared receives plenty of support from parents towards families and the public. and grandparents of those with Down DSACC’s donation goal this year was syndrome in return, cementing the $60,000 and as of Saturday morning power that DSACC holds in providing they had reached a $40,000 total. awareness and corroboration for Down syndrome throughout the Central Valley. Jennifer Whiting, Executive Director for DSACC, says that the festival and “I just want to say thank you. Thank you fun walk were created to celebrate the for stepping up and being here. Thank abilities and value of those with Down you for helping us to grow to over 950 syndrome. members. Thank you for showing up and stepping up,” says Inman to those who “We’re excited to be back in the Rodeo Grounds, with over 600 participants this help and provide for DSACC. year.” Some of those who assisted with the 20th Annual Step up for Down J.T. Gomez
jt21gomez@gmail.com
Photo from JT Gomez, Clovis Roundup Noah (middle) from Team Noah at the Step Up for Down Syndrome’s 20th Anniversary event stands next to Jennifer Whiting (right), Executive Director for DSACC. Noah won the award for “Most Spirited” at the event.
Syndrome included the Assistance League of Fresno and their program the “Assisteens”. The Assisteens are a group of teens learning about philanthropy and leadership, run by coordinator Kim Shehadey. Shehadey says that the Assisteens were present at Step up for Down Syndrome in order to cheer on those who made the annual walk with posters and other signs of celebration. The Assisteens also helped
with balloons and opening the event. DSACC only serves the Central Valley and is not affiliated with any national or state level organizations that provide for Down syndrome. Each and every donation that they receive goes towards benefiting those with Down syndrome within the Valley and they are always looking for help. You can donate to the DSACC as well as learn more information at www.dsacc.org.
Safety tips to keep pets safe at Halloween CONTRIBUTED Tanya Osegueda, CCSPCA Communications Consultant
October 18, 2023 - As Halloween approaches, CCSPCA is issuing the following safety tips to keep pets, especially dogs, safe. • If your pet plans to wear a costume, ensure it fits comfortably and does not interfere with your pet's vision, ability to walk, mouth, or hearing. • Take time to get your pet accustomed to
wearing the costume before Halloween and please do not leave them unattended when wearing it.
• Keep lit candles and jack-o-lanterns out of reach for your pets. • Keep glowsticks and glow jewelry away from your pet. While the liquid inside is most likely non-toxic, it tastes bad and may make them salivate more than usual. • If you expect trick-or-treaters this year, put your pet in another room, so trick-ortreaters don't scare them or so they don't
Dia De Los Muertos 5k in Clovis Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup
October 19, 2023 - On Sunday October 29th there will be a 5k run (or walk) in celebration of Día De Los Muertos—Day of the Dead. According to The Mexican Museum of San Francisco (in association with the Smithsonian Institution), “In Mexico, death rites date from pre-Hispanic rituals represented in murals, painted pottery, monuments, and artifacts, which shows how the Day of the Dead has its origins in the rituals practiced by the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Its precedents date to more than 3000 years ago when the Olmecs and subsequent Toltecs, Mixtecs, Zapotecs, Maya, and Aztecs honored death.”
“Those who passed are alive in our memories. A continuous echo that at certain occasions becomes louder. As the only answer to many of our questions, death is an integral part of life, and the living and the dead meet on this day to emphasize the importance of death in the cycle of life,” states The
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experience in the fire service. I came from another agency to Clovis in 2019 as the deputy fire chief. Everything that I had heard about the "Clovis Way of Life" before coming here is true and there is a collective sprit between all of the departments in the city to work together and provide the highest level of service to our community. The Clovis Fire Department provides service with over 70 personnel in three
Mexican Museum.
“Día de los Muertos acknowledges the symbiotic relationship between life and death. El día de Los Muertos is celebrated on November 1st and November 2nd, in which the spirits of the dead are believed to return home and spend time with their relatives on these two days. To welcome them, the family build altars in their honor. These altars have a series of different components that vary from one culture to another that mostly include yellow marigolds, candles, photos of the deceased ones, papel picado or cut tissue-paper designs, as well as food and beverages offerings for the dead.”
try to escape via an open door.
• Make sure your cats and dogs have identification tags with up-to-date information. • Take a current photo of all your cats and dogs.
• If your pet does go missing, please contact your local animal shelter. As the premier animal welfare organization in California’s Central Valley, CCSPCA is committed to leading and serving our community of animals and people by providing programs and services that serve
Photo courtesy of Miss Winkles Pet Adoption Center Facebook Page Panda, recently adopted, showing their Halloween spirit at Miss Winkle's pet-friendly pumpkin patch
all the stages of an animal’s life. For more information, visit CCSPCA.com.
dress in their Día de los Muertos makeup and costumes.
There will be a Día De Los Muertos Altar, participants can bring a copy of a photo of a loved one who has passed away, flowers, or food for the altar. The altar will be a decorated table displayed near the finish line. All items for the altar should be brought on bib pick up on Saturday, October 28th. Photos should be 5" x 7" or smaller and make sure you pick up photo and items before leaving on race day. All participants get tacos!
Photos courtesy of Race Director Jesus Campos
There will be traditional pan de muerto bread and champurrado (hot chocolate) in addition to music and folklorico dancing.
Unique Día De Los Muertos medals and awards given out to participants and winners.
This is a special celebration for Día de los Muertos, so participants are encouraged to
you’ll have the chance to take a photo with “Catrina”.
com titled DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS 5K RUN/WALK.
divisions. The Emergency Operations Division is responsible for providing the resources needed to respond daily to emergency and non-emergency requests including fires, medical aids, rescues, hazardous materials, and vehicle accidents from six strategically located fire stations. Our training bureau also coordinates over 200 hours of training for our personnel to maintain skills and to keep up with the changes our department is faced with. The Community Risk Reduction Division provides fire safety through
prevention by regulating and enforcing adopted fire codes, standards, and local ordinances for all existing and new buildings in our City. The division also provides public education to our citizens about fire behavior and life safety. The Administration Division is mainly responsible for the development and administration of the fire department’s budget. The division also provides administrative analysis, report preparation, coordination of programs, incident response data management, and other supportive functions.
If you are interested in the fire service and learning about becoming a part of our team, contact us and we can give you information on an amazing career serving the community. We are thankful for the community’s support of our fire department, and with over 100 years of history, our department is continuously looking for ways to improve our services and the quality of life in Clovis. It is our pleasure to serve you and we are committed to uphold our mission to prevent harm, be professional, and use our resources wisely.
Walk-up registration and packet pick up is Skulls or calaveras are a common decoration on Saturday, October 28th from 2:30pm to 5:00pm at Fleet Feet in Fresno. The 5k will take place on the Clovis Sugar on Día De Los Muertos. “The skull imagAdditional Race Day Registration & Packet Pine Trail, south of Railroad Park (210 W ery is deeply influenced by Mexican artist Pickup will be on race day between 7:45Alluvial Clovis, CA 93611). The main 5k José Guadalupe Posada’s famous etchings 8:45am at the race location. will start at 9am, but the kids races will start and illustrations of the Calavera Catrina—a right before. Make sure to arrive early if you female skeleton attired with a plumed hat,” To sign up, open your web browser and have children participating. More informastates The Mexican Museum. search for “Día De Los Muertos 5k Clovis tion on the website. At the 2023 Clovis Día De Los Muertos 5k, Ca”. Click the link to the website runsignup.
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World Food Day October 16, 2023 Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup
October 16, 2023 - World Food Day is recognized in celebration of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) founding in 1945.
According to the FAO, it is “a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger,”
“Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 members 194 countries and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.” Last year, the FAO released their State of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI) report based on information from the year prior. In the report, it stated that global hunger rose significantly. As many as 828 million people were affected by hunger in 2021. That’s 46 million more than 2020, and 150 million more from 2019.
828 million people without enough to eat means that almost 10% of the world struggle with hunger.
lot of people simply don’t get enough food or enough healthy food to maintain their health.
There are several organizations in Clovis that recognize this issue. There are food pantries dotted around Clovis, and most of them have special food drives and events during the holidays.
Some of the organizations that have operated food pantries or coordinated food donations are as follows: • Salvation Army (In need of non-perishable food item donations) • Praise Church of God in Christ (2nd Thursday of each month)
• Faith Community Church of the Nazarene (3rd Saturday of the month) • Mountain View Community Church (Last Saturday of every month)
• Crush Pantry (Clovis Community College) • Bulldog Pantry (Fresno State, not in Clovis but many students are from Clovis) • Saint Martha’s Pantry (Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish)
• Clovis Rotary (Identifies families in need to give 500 food boxes away during Christmas time) Accessibility and affordability are two of the Please consider donating, volunteering, leading causes of hunger. or otherwise getting involved in reducMany, many people from all walks of life ing hunger—in your own community and can struggle with getting enough to eat. beyond. From college students to single parents—a
Photo by Brooke Chau, Clovis Roundup Jenny Onitsuka-Adams, Corps Officer Pastor of the Salvation Army Clovis Corps.
Contact your church, your college, or one of your favorite non-profits to see how you can help. The simplest way to help is to see what kind of items they need donated, and then give that. The reality is that food insecurity is on the rise. Millions of children worldwide don’t get enough food. 2.4 billion people live in water-stressed countries. One of the FAO’s main emphasis this year is on water. “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.”
Some solutions to world hunger go beyond donations from individuals and organizations. Other solutions include helping people provide food for themselves in a sustainable way, and providing access to education. For more information about world hunger, visit fao.org and actionagainsthunger.org.
World Vision (worldvision.org) is a great ecumenical Christian humanitarian aid non-profit to donate to crisis response, sponsor a child, and more.
Clovis Roundup does the Pumpkin Patch Crawl Irene Thirlwall
@ClovisRoundup
October 26, 2023 - Each season comes with its own holidays. With each holiday, we have the opportunity to participate in different activities. Christmas time bring Christmas Tree Lane, Candy Cane Lane, Christmas tree farms, going out for hot cocoa and pictures with Santa. Easter brings Easter Egg Hunts, photo ops with the Easter Bunny and family get togethers. Harvest/Halloween time, October, is no different. It’s no longer a one-day event of trick-or-treating. There are opportunities for fun the entire month long. From October 1st through the 31st there are pumpkin patches that have popped up around the city. In the Clovis area, there are enough that you can enjoy a “pumpkin crawl” with your loved ones and the little ones especially enjoy these fun and inviting venues.
Photo by Irene Thirlwall, Clovis Roundup
FALL FOR THESE PUMPKIN PATCHES!
Those shopaholics will not be disappointed by the adorable little boutique filled with treasures from different local artists. Inside this little barn-like building there are fun knitted hats, handmade earrings and bracelets, t-shirts, keychains and more. This is the second year they have had the boutique. There is no entrance fee, and the pumpkins are reasonably priced.
Kayleigh Patterson of Hollister, CA was there visiting her friend Katie Couch, new to Clovis also from Hollister. Couch said, “I heard about it from a friend who said it was a cute little pumpkin patch, very welcoming and family run.” Patterson said, “we don’t hang out much, so this was just something fun to do.”
Next on the crawl is Wild Patch Pumpkins, on Bullard near Villa Ave: 225 W. Bullard Ave. Clovis, CA. Nolon Doss and Chase Cullins have been open for four years now. They were growing pistachios and prunes One can start after 5pm and head southeast and got the idea to grow pumpkins and to 5019 N Gaynor Ave, Clovis, CA 93619 start a pumpkin patch. Doss said they enjoy cross streets are Shaw and McCall, in the seeing all the kids come and see how excited Loma Vista neighborhood. As you turn onto they are, and many of them come dressed up Gaynor Ave you know you must be in the in the costumes. Cullins said, “We are happy right place when you see the candy corn to be a part of the community, we host traffic cones and several cars parked in a school field trips and deliver to schools and row near a sign that says Entrance. daycares.” They have a variety of pumpkins, A cute scarecrow and some corn stalks mark a hay maze, an impressive pumpkin wall and the way to the dirt path that is decorated many photo ops throughout the farm. On with tree lights, a cute bench with pumpkins the weekends they have food trucks and the near a tractor and other festive Halloween lineup can be found on their Instagram page. them décor. @wildpatchpumpkins Harvest Patch Pumpkin Patch is owned by Ryan and Christine Houlihan. Christine said it was Ryan’s dream to open a pumpkin patch. They started small on the side of their house four years ago. Each year they see it grow and love to see the community come out and enjoy what they have to offer. When visiting this cute little farm, you notice that small farm feeling, charm and sense of community. There is something for everyone here. Pony rides, a corn maze, many photo ops, including a photo booth where you can get fun printed pictures, and pumpkin smashing, you can purchase a pumpkin and smash it!
They are open Monday through Friday 4 to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 9pm. Sweet Thistle Farms and Planet Pumpkin can also be part of your pumpkin crawl.
Sweet Thistle Farms: 5365 Mendocino Ave, Clovis, CA 93619 Cross Streets, Academy and Shaw Ave. Open Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm Planet Pumpkin is located near First Street and Nees Avenue: 720 E Nees Ave, Fresno, CA 93720 open Sunday 10am to 4pm and Monday through Saturday 10am to 10pm.
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B.O.O.T. Hosts Fall Wine Walk in Old Town Clovis J.T. Gomez
jt21gomez@gmail.com
October 22, 2023 - The Business Organization of Old Town held their Fall Wine Walk in downtown Clovis on Saturday evening. While wine and wineries were abundant so were spectators and connoisseurs alike as plenty made their way down the streets of Old Town, trying different wines. According to the Old Town Clovis Instagram page, the Fall Wine Walk supplies wineries located throughout Old Town inside participating merchant locations.
Those merchant locations of course, being small businesses throughout downtown Clovis receive proper facetime and communication with potential customers.
The Old Town Clovis Instagram page states, “Shop, sip and taste your way through Old Town Clovis and then purchase the wines you love in our Wine Shop, located at the corner of 5th and Pollasky.” Whether or not one decided to purchase a potential favorite wine, each Wine Walk ticket came with one commemorative wine glass and a punch card containing all the information on the event including a map of participating wineries.
The event ran from 5-8:30 PM in Clovis and was sponsored by companies such as I Am Boudoir, Pink Heals, State Farm Insurance agent Dave Shivers, Central Valley Community Bank, Troop 4, and CASA.
As many made their way through the ins and outs of businesses in Old Town, they enjoyed
their adult beverages from wineries included below: • Fresno State Winery • O’Neil Winery • Amrita Cellars • Oliver Winery • Francis Coppola • Castello del Poggio • Santellen Vineyards • 1924 • Juggernaut • 3 Oaks Vineyard • Quady Winery • Gibson Wine Company • La Crema Winery • Hook or Crook Cellars • Gnarly Head
Photo by Anna Stevens, Clovis Roundup 1924 Winery host at 559 Beer
Old School Role Playing Game Con Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup
October 23, 2023 - The fourth annual Pig Faced Ork Old School Role Playing Game Convention was held at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District on Saturday the 21st. A tabletop role playing game is played by participants describing their characters’ actions verbally. There are a set of structured rules, and players can improvise within those rules. The character's choices influence how the game unfolds.
The first event was in 2019, interrupted by COVID before continuing to be held annually on each 3rd Saturday.
The event coordinator, Tom Wendt, started the event after being unable to attend a similar event on the east coast. He decided that
since he couldn’t go to that event, he would create his own.
There was a total of 11 games throughout the convention: Horde of the Things, Bushido, Dragon Rampant, Old School Essentials, RuneQuest, Elric Board Game, Talisman Board Game, Holmes Dungeons & Dragons Hack, Dungeon Crawl Classics, DragonQuest, and Arduin Grimoire.
There was a raffle and other special prizes, as well as two special games: The Wizard’s Hat Game and The Thieves Key Game.
This fourth convention was dedicated to a dear friend and supporter, Jeffery Frank Krause 1961 - 2023. Krause started introducing others to this world of tabletop role playing games back in 1980. It was said that he was kind, talented, and passionate. A note from the staff of the Pig Faced Ork
Photo by Destiny De La Cruz, Clovis Roundup
Old School Role Playing Game Convention: “We want to say how proud we are of what he has accomplished. We are happy we shared great memories together, from
our dungeon crawls where we proudly died many times. We never realized those were the good old days.”
8 . Clovis Roundup Community Newspaper Connect with us @ClovisRoundup
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Points of Interest A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M. N. 0. P. Q. R.
American Legion Post 147 Centennial Plaza Clovis Chamber of Commerce Clovis Civic Center Clovis Elks Clovis Fire & Police Station Clovis Fire Station No. 1 Clovis Library Clovis Museum Clovis Rodeo Grounds Clovis Senior Activity Center Clovis Veterans Memorial District Community Heritage Center Mercedes Theater/Clark Intermediate Old Town Trail Old Town Water Tower San Joaquin College of Law Tarpey Depot - Visitor’s Center
www.ClovisRoundup.com . Thursday, October 26, 2023
Remember to Shop Local, Shop Small, Shop Clovis M C R 10
Old Town Service District
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STORYTIME
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A1 Lock & Key ABC Pack & Print All American Smog B and H Tire Automotive Shop Boice Funeral, 308 Pollasky Ave, (559) 299-4372 Central Valley Community Bank Classic Catering Clovis Boot & Shoe Repair Clovis Garage Clovis Smogs EECU Finest Sewing Services Halfcocked Gunsmithing Mac’s Tire Pros NAPA Auto Parts
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Sam’s TV Repair Shell Gas Station Speedee Oil Change
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Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Nursey Rhyme Time with a different theme each month!
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A Secret Garden Avon Bears, Dolls, and More Cigars Limited Clovis Antique Mall Clovis Floral Clovis Sports Cards & Collectibles Country Rose Antiques Cozy Cottage Fifth Street Antiques Frost Oak Creek Creations Goode Ol’ Days Antiques Maxwell House Antiques Once Upon a Time
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Antique and Gift Shops
We will be hosting a Show & Tell,
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16. Rodeo Car Wash, 409 Bullard Ave, 322-1380
at A Book Barn
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16. Rosenbery’s Old Town Trading Co., 5th and Pollasky, (559) 498-9935 17.
Suquie’s Treasures
Miscellaneous 1.
3 Oaks Studio
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Brick and Morter
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A Book Barn, 640 Clovis Ave., 297-9052 Clovis Appliance, 602 5th St., 299-6806 Clovis Coin Shop, 442 Pollasky Ave, 326-8464 Comfort Suites Foxtail Gallery Gottschalk Music Center JT’s Music Store Realty Concepts The Perfect Pillow
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Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant
Two Dinners for
22
$
(Plus tax)
349 Pollasky Avenue In Old Town Clovis
between 3rd & 4th Street
559-299-4141
www.lunasclovis.com
“Best of Clovis - Italian Food” - 16 Years
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Old Town Clovis
FARMERS MARKET Located in the heart of Old Town Clovis on Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 11:30 am Bullard. All year long. CLOVIS HAUNTED TRAIL For the third year in a row, the Clovis Haunt the last weekend in October. The Clovis Hau walking experience designed to thrill those This event takes place Friday, October 27 th Trails Shopping Center Friday & Saturday, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday, 6 p.m. – 9p.m.
Thursday, October 26, 2023 . www.ClovisRoundup.com
Connect with us @ClovisRoundup
Clovis Roundup Community Newspaper . 9
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Autumn Psalm D A Designs Dancewear Heart’s Delight Ivy and Lace Jackson Jewelry Lulu’s Boutqiue Madeleine’s Bridal Boutique Nonnie’s House Revival 23
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The Foundry Collective Urban Ornaments
(559) 299-0471
808 4th Street www.cvmdistrict.org J
10. Sassano’s Mens Wear, 448 Pollasky Ave, 299.4430, SassanosMensWear.com
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559 Brewery 500 Club Blast & Brew Bobby Salazar’s Kuppa Joy
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Full O Bull House of Juju Le Parisien Cafe
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DiCicco’s Italian, 408 Clovis Ave, 299-3711, www.DiCiccosClovis.com
10. Luna Pizzeria, 349 Pollasky Ave, 299-4141, lunaclovis.com 11. 12. 13. 14.
Michaelangelo’s Pizzeria Old Town Saloon On the Edge Coffee Shop Outlaw Tavern
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Salsa’s Cantina
CLOVIS SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER (559) 324-2750 850 Fourth Street Clovis, CA 93612 H
15. Rodeo Coffee Shop, 535 Fifth St, 299-3750, rodeocoffeeshop.com 16. Roll Me Some - Handcrafted Roll Ice Cream, 530 Pollasky, 825-7204, rollmesomeice.com
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18. Soups and Scoops, 433 Pollasky, 299-9606 19. The Local, 401 Clovis Ave #102, 900-4253 20. Two Cities Coffee Roasters Organic coffee and tea - Rolled Ice Creamery, 608 4th St., 765-4652
Hair Salon and Spas
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s Announcements
Pollasky between 3rd & 7th. m. Located on Pollasky between 5th &
ted Trail is set to open to trick or treaters unted Trail is a scary haunted, outdoor, who love Halloween and all scary things. hru Sunday, October 29 behind the Parkway
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
A Little Indulgence Salon and Day Spa Elle Style Bar Fifth Street Salon Hairology Head to Toe Beauty Salon Moxie Salon Re:Treat Color and Hair Design Studio Salon Innovation
Are you a business owner in Old Town Clovis? Advertise with us and have your business listed! For more info, please email info@clovisroundup.com or call 559-324-8757. Visit our website at www.ClovisRoundup.com or follow us on social media, @ClovisRoundup 16
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10 . Clovis Roundup Community Newspaper Connect with us @ClovisRoundup
www.ClovisRoundup.com . Thursday, October 26, 2023
Recipe ‘Fall’ In Love with Family-Favorite Autumn Recipes Family Feature
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ith temperatures cooling and cravings leaning toward comforting flavors, fall offers a perfect time for families to explore adventurous twists on favorite foods. As you and your loved ones rework the menu for autumn, turn to versatile ingredients that provide fresh tastes and new ways to enjoy classic recipes. One star ingredient that can be used for appetizers, main courses, sides, snacks and desserts alike is watermelon. In fact, using the entire watermelon (rind included) means you’ve discovered a sustainable way to create nutritious meals without food waste. Find more flavorful fall solutions to avoid food waste at Watermelon.org. Watermelon Bourbon Glaze with Grilled Flank Steak
Watermelon Walnut Currant Chutney
Servings: 16 4 cups watermelon, juiced 2 cups watermelon rind (white part), diced small 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 1/2 medium white onion, sliced 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cloves, ground 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 lemon, juice only 2 tablespoons currants 2 tablespoons roasted walnuts 1 wheel brie cheese, for serving crackers, for serving In saucepan over medium heat, reduce watermelon juice to 2 cups. Combine with watermelon rind, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, white onion, garlic, nutmeg, cloves, lemon zest, lemon juice, currants and walnuts; simmer until almost dry. Chill and serve over brie with crackers.
Watermelon Walnut Currant Chutney
Watermelon Bourbon Glaze with Grilled Flank Steak Servings: 6 1 1/2 cups watermelon juice (approximately 2 1/2 cups chopped watermelon, blended) 2 tablespoon minced garlic 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoon hot sauce 1/4-1/2 cup bourbon 2 pounds flank steak or London broil 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce watermelon juice
Family Feature
P
utting away the homework, turning off electronics and spending a little quality time together can help ease everyday stresses. Add a cozy meal packed with tastes you love and you’ll have the perfect recipe for an autumn evening with your family. Cooler days call for comforting flavors the entire family can enjoy at the dinner table like roasted veggies – from sweet potatoes
to pumpkin and more – paired with hearty favorites like cheesy pierogies that provide a sense of warmth and coziness. Make this autumn one to remember by creating new meals and memories along the way. For an extra special celebration with the ones you love in honor of the 15th anniversary of National Pierogy Day, consider a cozy, warming dish like Roasted Sweet Potatoes Brown Butter Pierogies, which is loaded with the flavors of the
to 2/3 cup. Toward end of reduction, add garlic. Remove from heat, cool 10 minutes then add soy sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce and bourbon. Mix well. Place watermelon-bourbon glaze in large zip-top bag. Add steak and massage to cover meat. Close bag and refrigerate 3-4 hours. Heat grill to high heat. Remove steak from plastic bag and gently shake to remove excess glaze. Grill steak 4-6 minutes; turn, grill 4-6 minutes, depending on thickness of steak. Remove from heat.
season. This comforting meal starts with cubed sweet potatoes – a hallmark of fall – along with pierogies tossed in a homemade brown butter sauce. Top with pecans for a nutty crunch and fresh thyme leaves for the final touch on a newfound favorite that’ll bring loved ones running to the dinner table. At the heart of the dish are Mrs. T’s Pierogies, which are pasta pockets filled with stuff families love like creamy mashed
Steak should be pink in center. Allow steak to rest on platter or cutting board 10 minutes. Mix small amount of watermelon-bourbon glaze with cornstarch. In small saucepan over mediumhigh heat, add cornstarch mixture to remaining glaze and simmer 3-5 minutes. Reduce to medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Cut flank steak on bias into thin strips. Drizzle watermelon-bourbon glaze over top.
potatoes, cheese and big, bold flavors. Found in the frozen food aisle, they’re available in 13 flavors including 4 Cheese Medley, Loaded Baked Potato, Feta & Spinach and other varieties in full and mini sizes. Pierogies can be boiled, baked, airfried, sauteed, fried or grilled to leave more time for family and less time in the kitchen. Find more ways to incorporate fall flavors into your family’s everyday menu by visiting MrsTsPierogies.com.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes Brown Butter Pierogies
Roasted Sweet Potatoes Brown Butter Pierogies Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Servings: 4-5 1 bag (1.6 pounds) Mrs. T’s Mini Classic Cheddar Pierogies 2 cups sweet potato cubes (approximately 1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes) 1 tablespoon olive oil salt, to taste pepper, to taste 4 tablespoons salted butter 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice water 1/2 cup pecans fresh thyme leaves, for serving Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss sweet potato cubes in olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and spread in even layer on baking sheet. Roast 25-30 minutes, tossing about halfway through, until potatoes are fork tender. In medium skillet over medium heat, brown butter 5-10 minutes. Avoid smoking
or burning. Remove from heat. Allow to cool about 5 minutes then whisk in balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. In large saucepan, bring water to boil. Cook pierogies according to package directions, about 3 minutes. Drain and toss in brown butter sauce. Add roasted sweet potatoes and pecans to brown butter pierogies and toss gently to coat. Top with fresh thyme leaves.
Your Football Tailgate Headquarters! ONLINE ORDERING
& DELIVERY COMING SOON!
www.themeatmarket.com SHEPHERD/FOWLER 1990 N. Fowler Ave. Clovis, CA (559) 256-1390 Mon - Fri 10 am - 6:30 pm, Tues ‘til 7pm Sat 9 am - 6 pm Sun 10 am - 5 pm
We do Blue Rhino Propane exchange
Tuesday is now the BEST Day of the Week
Tri-tip Tuesdays
34
Whole Cooked Tri-Tip $ .99 1 Quart Size Side Order 1 2-liter Pepsi Product + tax
Selection of Tri Tip, Ribs, Chicken, & Kabobs as low as $
+ tax 19.99 per person
(see website for details)
Thursday, October 26, 2023 . www.ClovisRoundup.com
LET’S TALK CLOVIS:
Clovis Roundup Community Newspaper . 11
Connect with us @ClovisRoundup
The Potter Family's early years part 1
end of the lake that is named Potter Trail.
Peg Bos
Historian/Clovis Museum Contributed
On Feb. 8, 1956, Kate Potter Clark (18741969) edited “A Sketch of the Early Years of the John Potter Family in Fresno County.” Her story begins in this area in 1872. We are sharing portions of her article in two parts. “My father, John Wesley Potter, lived in Fresno County, in the Clovis area, from 1872 until the time of his death in 1915. “He was born in Missouri in 1837 and came to California, with the rest of the family, in 1853, at the age of 16 years. His home was near where the town of Linden is, 12 miles northeast of Stockton, until 1872. “He and a younger brother were partners in farming operations. In that year, 1872, my father moved a flock of sheep they owned jointly, to this county, near where the town of Clovis is now located. “He preempted 160 acres and homesteaded the adjoining 160 acres. A few years later, he and his brother dissolved partnership. His flock of sheep increased, so he was in need of more pasture. He was able to buy more adjoining land, until he owned 3,200 acres. On these acres, the sheep grazed through the fall, winter and spring months. Late in May, every year, they were taken to the green meadows in the Sierra Mountains, above where Huntington Lake is located. “There is a trail now, just above the upper
“On Christmas Even, Dec. 24, 1873, he was married to Martha J. Webster of Vacaville, Solano County, who was a native daughter of California, born in Napa County, Oct. 21, 1852. “After spending a honeymoon in Sacramento and Linden, they came to Fresno. There was just one hotel in the town, so they had difficulty in finding a place to spend the night. At the time, few people lived in Fresno. There was one store, operated by Otto Frolich and a blacksmith shop. Neighbors were miles apart and bandits had roamed the plains, so my mother, who lived in a small town, with near neighbors, felt very much afraid. When at home alone on seeing a stranger coming, she was careful to have the back door open so she could make a hasty get-away if he proved to be unfriendly. “Three children were born to them, Kate, the writer of this sketch, now Mrs. C. Todd Clark whose home is on part of the acreage of the sheep ranch just about a mile from where the Potters first lived. “Webster, who now lives in Modesto, and Elizabeth Russell, now deceased, who was married to O.L. Russell. “After living near the sheep camp several years, we moved two miles north, just about a mile south of Big Dry Creek, to be near the school and children and neighbors. This was in the Mississippi School District, so named because a number of the families living in it had come to California from Mississippi, namely the Shipps, the Major Nelsons and the D.C. Samples and perhaps others.
Photo courtesy of Clovis Museum The Potter family in 1888: Lizzie, Mattie, Kate, John W. and J. Webster
“All of the activities of the community were held in the school house. The first school house was located in the field, a little way north west from the Major Nelson home. It was built of rough lumber. The desks were homemade of like material. I think there were between 20 and 30 children in the school. “A new school building was erected about 1885 or 1886 very near Big Dry Creek, close to where the flood control dam is located. It was built of finished lumber by skilled carpenters and it was painted and furnished
OPEN FOR FRIDAY NIGHT FARMERS MARKET FROM 6PM - 8PM
559-297-8033 401 POLLASKY AVE
Open on Tue - Sat 10am - 2pm Visit us at clovismuseum.com
Kate’s personal description of our rich history will continue in the next edition.
CREDIT UNION
HA'i?Y� YUUK SAVINGS THIS FALL
NOW AVAILABLE AT THE CLOVIS MUSEUM
Available with donation
“We lived about a mile from the creek so we were compelled to cross it to get to school. In the winter, many times quite a stream of water came down and because there was quicksand in the creek bed, it was difficult to cross. My father built a suspension bridge. We used it every day, when there was water in the creek for long as we were in school.”
fValley First
2024 CLOVIS HISTORICAL SOCIETY CALENDAR Featuring Artwork Reprints Donated by Pat Hunter – Gallery II
with commercially built seats and desks.
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12 . Clovis Roundup Community Newspaper Connect with us @ClovisRoundup
www.ClovisRoundup.com . Thursday, October 26, 2023
Reedley Lab: What we know so far Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup
Here is what we know about the Reedley lab, based on what has been reported.
Complaints about vehicles parked in the loading dock of an abandoned warehouse in Reedley were responded to by the only full-time code enforcement officer for the city, Jesalyn Harper in December 2022. Upon arrival, Harper noticed a foul smell and saw a hose coming out of a wall. She knocked on the door, and a woman in a lab coat answered her knock. There were also two other people with plastic gloves and blue surgical masks, packing pregnancy tests. Harper said that they spoke “broken english” and that they told her they were from China.
Once inside, Harper saw multiple refrigerators and ultralow-temperature freezers connected to illegal electrical wiring, vials of blood and jars of urine on shelves and in plastic containers, and several hundred white lab mice that were kept in crowded, soiled containers. The women working in the warehouse said that the owner lived in China. They gave Harper a phone number and email address, then asked her to leave. Afterwards, Harper contacted Fresno County health officials and the FBI.
Before abatement, Reedley Code Enforcement tried to establish clear communication with the representative of this business. Jesalyn Harper was in contact with the “owner,” Xiuqin Yao, via email because Yao stated that she lives in
China. Xiuquin Yao is said to be the president of a company named Prestige BioTech. After communicating with a few different representatives of the company, it could not be determined who was operating the lab. Officials moved forward with abatement. In March 2023, an inspection of the lab resulted in officials finding “potentially infectious agents”, including both bacterial and viral: chlamydia, E. Coli, hepatitis B and C, herpes 1 and 5, rubella, malaria, coronavirus, streptococcus pneumonia, and HIV.
Over a hundred of the mice were dead, and several hundred were later euthanized. Nina Hahn, a vet formerly contracted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, examined the mice. Hahn stated that the mice had not been injected with any infectious agent and were not experimented on. She said that the mice were used to grow COVID-19 antibody cells to make testing kits. It’s worth nothing that rats are regulated and protected under the USDA, but mice are not.
Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba said that at first, state and federal officials advised the city not to publicly share information about the lab. Privately funded research and development labs aren’t required to register with the government. Currently, there isn’t a federal governing body in charge of regulating private medical labs.
As Associated Press included at the end of their Aug. 9th article, “What’s frustrating is that we’re focusing on these myths, bioengineered weapons and stuff like that, rather than the real issue, the lack of regulation of these private labs,” said Jesalyn Harper.
Senior counsel from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce has recently reached out to Zieba for input on relevant law change. On September 13th, we attended a press briefing held at the Fresno Hall of Records.
“Today’s press briefing is intended to share important updates related to the current lack of oversight of unlicensed labs in the United States, and welcomed news from Congress—highlighting this critical issue. Congressional hearings are needed and called for,” stated Fresno County Administrative Officer, Paul Nerland.
“Last week, legal representatives from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party arrived to serve a subpoena to the City of Reedley, regarding the unlicensed lab [. . .] we want to emphasize today that this action by the Committee is a good thing.” “Currently, there is no oversight on a local, state, or national level of these types of labs [. . .] Now, although we’re pleased that Congress is taking action, the County of Fresno continues to take action through a proposed ordinance that we’ll be bringing to our Board of Supervisors that will allow our Public Health team to conduct annual inspections of these privately funded labs,” said Nerland.
Reedley City Manager Nicole Zieba spoke next, “We’re very happy that Congress is taking this seriously, and by issuing a subpoena, they are able to access documents that the city has that would not be disclosed otherwise during an investigation.” Zieba stated that she is not able to publicly share the documents that she turned over to Congress.
On October 16th it was reported that the company behind the lab, Universal Meditech Inc. (UMI), was threatening to sue the City of Reedley and the County of Fresno for millions of dollars in damage claims.
Universal Meditech Inc. is seeking $30 million from Reedley and $50 million from Fresno County, for a combined total of $80 million dollars. In the document, UMI, stated that, "The improper seizure and unauthorized law enforcement activities, as well as the resulting local public media which published many false and distorted reports, led to the inability to carry out the relocation of the new factory building."
The newest update came on October 19th. The owner of the lab has been arrested for making false claims to federal officials, and also for manufacturing and distributing misbranded medical devices.
His name is Jia Bei Zhu, also known by the names Jesse Zhu, Qiang He and David He. He is a 62 year old Chinese citizen who was a former resident of Clovis. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has records showing that as of 2022, Universal Meditech Inc., has not been permitted to “manufacture or import any in vitro diagnostic test kits in the United States.” Any test kits the company made and sold since 2022 are considered “misbranded medical devices.” From late 2020 to March 2023, the biolab manufactured, imported, sold and distributed hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 test kits, as well as pregnancy tests, HIV tests, and more.
According to U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said that Zhu purposefully changed his name, company names, and locations. Zhu’s first court appearance was set for Friday, October 20th in Fresno’s federal courthouse.
Convicted Felon Arrested with Gun & Stolen Mail Overnight
Contributed
Clovis Police Department
October 18, 2023 – Officers have arrested a convicted felon in Harlan Ranch overnight after responding to a call for service regarding suspicious activity. Shortly before 3:00 A.M., a resident near Richmond/N. Pamela called to report suspicious activity near a community mailbox. Officers responded and located 2 suspects in a car near this location. The driver was arrested without incident; however, the passenger ran
from officers and was not located or identified.
Upon searching the suspect and his car, officers located a loaded handgun, stolen mail, methamphetamine, and burglary tools. The suspect has been identified as 34-year-old Lee Vue of Fresno.
Vue was booked into Fresno County Jail on several charges including being a felon in possession of a loaded handgun, possession of stolen mail, methamphetamine, burglary tools, and for violating his probation. This arrest occurred because of the Clovis
resident who called police immediately, and the quick actions by our dispatchers and officers.
We urge you to call law enforcement immediately when you see a crime in progress or suspicious activity. The Clovis Police Department is available anytime at 911 for emergencies, and (559) 324-2800 for non-emergencies. Theft of mail is a crime that increases in the winter and holiday months. Please check your mail daily, have important items delivered to a secure location, and report suspicious activity immediately.
Photo courtesy of Clovis Police Department Lee Vue, 34 years old.
Driver Arrested Following a Fatal Hit & Run Collision Overnight Our investigation so far has shown that the driver of the SUV was northbound on Willow and was traveling through the Shaw intersection on a green light. The male on the motorized scooter was traveling eastbound Shaw on the westbound side of the street, against a red signal light at Willow.
Photo courtesy of Clovis Police Department Tracy Slocum, 35 years old.
Contributed
As officers attempted to contact the driver of an SUV pulled over on Willow just north of Shaw, another male got into the driver seat and sped away. Officers were able to pull over the SUV a short distance away and arrested the driver without incident. As this arrest was being made, the male who was driving the SUV at the time of the collision, arrived in another car and was arrested as well.
The Fresno County Coroner’s Office has identified the deceased male as 23-year-old Joshua Hatfield October 18, 2023 – The driver of an SUV has been of Fresno. arrested following a fatal hit and run collision just after midnight at Shaw/Willow in Clovis. At 12:33 The initial driver of the SUV has been identified as 35-year-old Tracy Slocum of Fresno. Slocum A.M., a Clovis Police Officer on patrol noticed a was booked into Fresno County Jail for felony hit person down in the roadway next to a motorized scooter on Willow just north of Shaw. Officers and and run. The other male was identified as 35-yearEMS provided medical aid to the adult male in the old Latray Magano and was arrested for obstructing an investigation. roadway, and he was transported to the hospital, however, sadly he passed away. Clovis Police Department
Detectives investigate Clovis' second homicide of 2023 Contributed
Clovis Police Department
October 17, 2023 – Shortly after midnight on October 16, 2023, Clovis Police officers responded to a deadly shooting in front of a home near Brookside/Brookfield, just south of the Clovis rodeo grounds.
911 calls began coming in at 12:13 A.M., reporting that someone had been shot in the street. Officers and EMS rendered medical aid on scene and the victim was transported to the hospital where he sadly passed away. The victim has been identified by the Fresno County Coroner’s Office as 33-year-old Jose
Mohamed Abddikadir Abdillahi 8-7-00 5’ 11 & 170 lbs. Grand Theft Wart# F22905915
Naomi Kaylynn Acker 7-17-97 5’6 & 130 lbs. Stolen Vehicle Wart# F18906202
Thomas Allen Cooper 12-14-96 5’11 & 185 lbs. Possession of Controlled Substance/Sell Wart# F20900849
Brandon Alan Fucci 9-14-87 5’8 & 160 lbs. Stolen Vehicle Wart# F23903224
Troy Jonathan Kuehl 1-27-84 6’ 2 & 190 lbs. Inflicting Injury/Elder Adult Wart# F23907255
Madison Lee Webb 1-6-94 5’ 5 & 130 lbs. Assault with Deadly Weapon Wart# F23905307
Richard John Wiebe 12-14-50 6’ 2 & 200 lbs. Criminal Threats Wart# F23906770
Jason Edward Wise 7-16-85 6’ 4 & 220 lbs. DUI Wart# F20906712
Ruedas of Fresno. The investigation has shown that the victim and suspect(s) were associated, and this was not a random act.
Detectives and Crime Scene personnel were called out at the time, and continue to investigate leads, view surveillance footage from home and city cameras, and speak to witnesses. At this time, the suspect or suspects responsible remain outstanding.
If you have any information regarding this homicide, you are asked to call our non-emergency phone number anytime at (559) 324-2800, or you can remain anonymous and provide a tip thru Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP, or by using our anonymous tip on our free mobile app.
REWARD
If you know where any of these fugitives are located you can remain anonymous and if your information leads to an arrest, you will
RECEIVE A REWARD OF UP TO $1000
Thursday, October 26, 2023 . www.ClovisRoundup.com
Clovis
Happenings HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR AN EVENT YOU WANT POSTED? EMAIL US AT CALENDAR@CLOVISROUNDUP.COM
Hispanic Heritage Month OCTOBER Now thru Tuesday, October 31 SPOOKTACULAR DISPLAYS Clovis Veterans Memorial District 808 4th St., Clovis, CA 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday, October 27 TRUNK OR TREAT AT FARMERS MARKET Old Town Clovis Pollasky & 5th 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Sunday, October 29 CLOVIS COMMUNITY BAND FALL CONCERT Paul Shaghoian Memorial Concert Hall 2770 E. International Ave., Fresno, CA 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday thru Sunday thru October 31 MISS WINKLES PUMPKIN PATCH 85 Temperance Ave., Clovis, CA 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, October 29 VINTAGE MARKET & ANTIQUES Old Town Clovis 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Friday, October 27 thru Sunday, October 29 CLOVIS HAUNTED TRAIL Clovis Trail at Willow/Nees Behind the Parkway Trails Shopping Center Friday & Saturday, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday, 6 p.m. – 9p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, November 4 & 5 OLD TOWN FLEA MARKET Clovis Rodeo Grounds 748 Clovis Dr., Clovis, CA 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Friday, October 27 HALLOWEEN PARTY AT THE CENTER Clovis Senior Activity Center 850 4th St., Clovis, CA 10 a.m.
NOVEMBER
Saturday, November 4 TACOS & TAPS TRAIL Trolley to breweries in Clovis 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Clovis Roundup Community Newspaper . 13
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Sunday, November 5 TWO CITIES MARATHON Clovis Community College 10309 N. Willow, Fresno, CA 6:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wednesday, November 8 WAKE UP CLOVIS Master the Holiday Hustle: Manage Stress and Cultivate Well Being Clovis Community College Herndon Campus, Room 308 390 W. Fir Ave., Clovis, CA 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Saturday, November 18 SHREDFEST Clovis Police Department Clovis Rodeo Grounds 748 Rodeo Dr., Clovis, CA 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday, November 18 RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AND COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE Clovis Senior Activity Center 735 Third St., Clovis, CA 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Saturday, November 11 VETERANS DAY Clovis Veterans Memorial District 808 4th St., Clovis, CA • 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. Pancake Breakfast • 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. » Car Show, Veterans Parkway » Veterans Documentaries » Community Heritage Center Open » Faces of our Veterans Exhibit • 11 a.m. - Patriotic Concert • 1 p.m. - Car Show Awards
Monday, November 20 NEW CENTER OPEN FOR BUSINESS Clovis Senior Activity Center 735 Third St., Clovis, CA 8 a.m.
Saturday, November 11 2ND ANNUAL CLOVIS TAILGATE BBQ THROWDOWN Elks Lodge 535 Woodworth Ave., Clovis, CA 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKUP Clovis Senior Activity Center 850 4th St., Clovis, CA Mondays, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Thursday, November 16 ONE ENCHANTED EVENING Old Town Clovis Open House Horse Carriage Rides 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
PLACES TO VISIT CALIFORNIA 9-11 MEMORIAL 3485 Never Forget Ln. Clovis, CA Open 365 days a year COMMUNITY HERITAGE CENTER 3rd and Veterans Parkway OPEN Tuesday thru Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. CLOVIS MUSEUM 4th & Pollasky Clovis, CA Open Tuesday thru Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. FARMERS’ MARKETS
ALL MONTH LONG U.S. FLAG RETIREMENT DROP BOX Clovis Veterans Memorial District 808 4th St., Clovis Three Flag Retirement Drop Boxes on site Drive Up Box is available 24/7
CITY OF CLOVIS HAZARDOUS WASTE DROP OFF CENTER 79 N. Sunnyside, Clovis, CA Tuesday thru Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
CLOVIS OLD TOWN FARMERS’ MARKET Polasky Ave., Clovis, CA Every Saturday Year-Round 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (weather permitting) MARKET AT THE PARC Food Trucks and Farmers Market Clovis Community Hospital Temperance & Herndon Every Monday Year-Round 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Tracking Your Joint Expenses CONTRIBUTED Noble Credit Union
It’s hard enough keeping track of your own expenses. So you shouldn’t be surprised that managing money as a team effort can test your patience, especially if your partner has a different method of keeping financial records—or worse, no method at all. In some ways, it’s easier for you today than it was for your parents or grandparents, who could keep track of how much they had in their checking accounts only by balancing their checkbook. This meant writing down every deposit and withdrawal to add or subtract from their total. Thank goodness modern banking has evolved to make it much easier. These days finding out your balance is as easy as checking your account on a mobile app, on your computer, or at the ATM. But tracking expenses isn’t about realizing that your balance is $300 less today than it was yesterday. It’s knowing where the $300 went and whether that spending is in line with your plan.
Tracking Tools If you find keeping accurate track of what you spend challenging, a digital spending tracker might be helpful. It’s worth it to take the time to compare some of the available options. Choosing one that you’re comfortable with, and that presents information in a way that makes sense to you, will make a big difference in how useful you find it. Often times you’ll find a great budgeting tool built right into the online or mobile banking service of the financial institution you currently use. For some people, seeing how much they’re spending on clothing and shoes on a monthly basis is enough to help them slow down the shopping. For others, seeing the dollar amount available for discretionary spending is all they need to curb their spending impulses. And for some couples, the information is enough to make them realize they need to reduce large set costs, which might mean moving to a smaller apartment or leasing a less expensive car. Although it may be a difficult conversation,
comparing your spending with your partner’s may be a huge step forward in getting on the same financial page. The Buck Stops with One of You Setting financial goals, developing a money management strategy, and following through on your spending decisions require a joint effort. But that doesn’t have to be true about tracking your expenses. When you’re dividing up your household chores, you might agree that one of you should take primary responsibility for monitoring spending in your joint account, paying the bills that are due, and confirming the balance is always positive. Fixing Problems If it turns out that one of you, or both of you, are not following the spending plan you agreed on, what’s next? Chances are it means you’re spending more than you had intended to on certain types of expenses or were unrealistic about what specific things would cost. The best first step is to rethink the amounts you’ve allocated to various
categories. For example, if transportation costs are higher than you planned, and there’s no feasible way to reduce them, can you agree to cut back what you’re spending on something else? Fixed expenses are the most difficult to adjust. For example, probably the only way to reduce your rent is to move, and that involves costs of its own. But other costs that are variable, like food and entertainment, are fair game. What’s the bottom line? Communication. Keeping an open line of communication will be the key to financial success with your partner. Noble Credit Union has been treating each member with kindness, dignity, and honor while helping members make sound financial decisions for 81 years. The Credit Union offers members full access to a wide range of financial education and services, including low-rate auto loans, MyRewards Visa credit card, mortgage and equity loans, online and mobile banking, and more. For more information about membership at Noble Credit Union, call (559) 252-5000 or visit NobleCU.com.
14 . Clovis Roundup Community Newspaper Connect with us @ClovisRoundup
www.ClovisRoundup.com . Thursday, October 26, 2023
Terry P. Bradley Educational Center Groundbreaking Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup
October 17, 2023 - Clovis Unified School District broke ground on their sixth high school and intermediate school, the Terry P. Bradley Educational Center. The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Assistant Superintendent of Terry P. Bradley Educational Center, Dr. Stephanie Hanks while heavy machinery worked in the distance. Every single seat was filled, and many people stood all around the ceremony to hear the speeches. There were several people seated on the platform, each of whom are important to this massive project. After welcoming those in attendance, Dr. Hanks introduced Clovis High School Inter School Council President, Karis Fisher. Fisher offered her own welcoming speech before the Posting of Colors. Clovis Unified Air Force JROTC student representatives from Clovis East High School and Clovis High School presented the Posting of Colors. Also in attendance were Retired Lieutenant Colonel Walter Miller and Retired
Photo by Destiny De La Cruz, Clovis Roundup Dr. Bradley, former superintendent of CUSD.
Master Sergeant Patrick K. Latour Jr., both from the United States Air Force. Once the JROTC presented the flags, Clovis West High School’s Inter School Council Volunteer Coordinator Sofia McComas led the pledge of allegiance. Clovis East High School’s choir sang the Star-Spangled Banner, under the direction of Choral Director Allison Crose. Dr. Hanks went on to acknowledge the honoree and several specific guests before the special remarks began. The special remarks speakers included CUSD; Governing Board President David DeFrank, Superintendent Dr. Corrine Folmer, Buchanan High School
Saturday Morning Lineup: Shuffle in the TRAC Standings with Clovis East Loss; Clovis North Moves to 8-0
Inter School Council Vice PresidentAvery Chaney, and of course the center’s namesake—retired Superintendent Dr. Terry P. Bradley. Dr. Bradley served CUSD for 34 years in several business and financial roles before becoming superintendent from 2002 to 2009. The former superintendent spoke with a high degree of sincerity, and made the crowd laugh wholeheartedly multiple times. He spoke fondly of everyone he had come in contact with who played a role in the state of CUSD today. “I’ve done a lot of consulting work with a lot of districts; large districts, small districts, rural districts . . . and one
of the things that I’ve learned is [that] everyone has great people. Everyone really, really does have good people who are dedicated to a great education for their kids,” said Dr. Bradley. “But there are some things that make a district different, and I think it can be boiled down into three terms. One of them is stability, another one is doing the right thing, and the third one is maintaining your culture.” Harris Construction President Michael Spencer and PBK Architects President Roy Montalbano both came up to the podium for a brief speech and special presentation. Before the closing remarks, the Clovis East High School choir performed a song titled “Bluebird.” Dr. Stephanie Hanks closed out the ceremony and directed the crowd to the groundbreaking area where several of the special guests officially broke ground. The new Educational Center will be home to Clovis South High School and the yet-to-be-named intermediate school. It’ll be located on Leonard Avenue between Shields and McKinley, and it is set to open in Fall 2025.
Clovis East Takes Home ‘The Boot’; Clovis North Looks Ahead to Week 10 Matchup with Central rivalry known as “The Boot” game.
J.T. Gomez
Buchanan (L) vs. Clovis North (W)- 28-3 Clovis (L) vs. Clovis East (W)- 49-34 Central (W) vs. Clovis West (L)- 27-15
jt21gomez@gmail.com
October 15, 2023 - Clovis North once again continued their dominant season moving to 8-0 with a league win against Clovis West. Clovis East lost their second game of the season moving to 1-2 in league play. Clovis East (L) vs. Central (W)- 58-55 Clovis North (W) vs. Clovis West (L)- 34-27 Buchanan (L) vs. Clovis High (W)- 21-13 According to Maxpreps.com with Clovis Buchanan; 2-6 High and Central High’s wins this past Next Week’s Matchups: week, they leapfrog Clovis East in the standings. Buchanan stays at the bottom Buchanan (2-6) vs. Clovis North of the pack with their 21-13 loss. (8-0); Friday, 10/20 7pm, Veterans Memorial Stadium TRAC Standings: Clovis North; 8-0 Central High (6-2) vs. Clovis West (5-3); Clovis High; 6-2 Thursday, 10/19 7pm, Lamonica Stadium Central High; 6-2 Clovis High (6-2) vs. Clovis East Clovis East; 6-2 (6-2); Friday, 10/20 7pm, Lamonica Clovis West; 5-3 Stadium
Only one week remains in the regular season for the TRAC. As the teams head into their final regular season game, each knows where they stand in the Central Section, both Divisions I and II.
J.T. Gomez
jt21gomez@gmail.com
The second to last week in the TRAC saw Clovis North move to an impressive 9-0 on the year, one win away from an undefeated regular season. A Central Section Division I title also looms for the Broncos as they take on 3-1 Central in their final TRAC matchup of the year. Clovis East would beat Clovis for the first time in 14 years in their friendly
TRAC Standings Clovis North; 9-0 Central; 7-2 Clovis East; 7-2 Clovis; 6-3 Clovis West; 5-4 Buchanan; 2-7
Next Week’s Matchups:
Central (7-2) vs. Clovis North (9-0); Thursday, 10/26; Lamonica Stadium, 7pm Clovis East (7-2) vs. Buchanan (2-7); Friday, 10/27; Veterans Memorial Stadium, 7pm
Clovis West (5-4) vs. Clovis (6-3); Friday, 10/27; Lamonica Stadium, 7pm
National Day of the Deployed October 26, 2023 Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup
October 26, 2023 - National Day of the Deployed takes place on October 26th. It was first observed in 2006 in North Dakota, but every state has started observing it since 2012. It’s a day to honor our country’s deployed service members as well as the sacrifices of their families. “Any time anyone deploys—from a Moms perspective—we see our 2 year old in a helmet and combat gear, whereas everyone else sees an adult. It’s really hard on us,” said Central Valley Blue Star Moms President, Lisa Bailey. This is especially relevant due to recent news from the Pentagon stating that they are having about 2,000 troops prepare-to-deploy in support of Israel.
The troops have not yet been deployed, and if they are deployed, it has not been stated that they are meant to serve in combat roles. As of last year, there were over 150,000 active-duty personnel stationed outside of the United States. Most of those deployments are not active combat deployments. As of June of this year, the Department of Defense (DoD) reported that we have over 30,000 troops in the Middle East, stating that “the United States’ commitment to the Middle East hasn’t changed.” Currently, about 2,500 of our deployed are in Iraq and approximately 900 in eastern Syria. Just within the last week, there have been multiple drone and missile strikes
Photo courtesy of Tac Ops Brewing Blue Star Moms of the Central Valley.
at bases in Iraq that host U.S. forces and personnel. A drone hit in Syria was also reported. In the second week of October, USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (CSG) arrived in the eastern Mediterranean Sea in a show of support for Israel.
As of last week, the DOD said that they had deployed the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CSG to join the USS Gerald R. Ford CSG in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Both Carrier Strike Groups See DEPL0YED, Pg. 15
Thursday, October 26, 2023 . www.ClovisRoundup.com
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CUSD Releases Statement on Results of State Testing Across District J.T. Gomez
jt21gomez@gmail.com
October 23, 2023 - CUSD reported that they had been conducting “school-by-school reviews” of state testing data across the school district. Below is their statement on that data received:
“In the wake of the state’s release of the 2023 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) results, Clovis Unified educators are analyzing the data and using the information to shape classroom instruction on a student-bystudent basis.
‘While our Clovis Unified students continue to perform above the County and State averages, and we have seen some classrooms make great gains, we are not where we want to be as a District with respect to our overall districtwide CAASPP results,’ said Superintendent Corrine Folmer, Ed.D. of the district’s overall results. In English Language Arts (ELA), 66.18% of students in Clovis Unified scored at or above proficiency level. In math, 51.02% of
students were at or above grade level proficiency. In comparison, statewide the number of students testing at grade level was 46.66% in ELA and 34.62% in math. ‘There is no doubt that our team of incredible educators are working hard to overcome obstacles to learning, and we are using this data to drill down to look student-by-student at how it can inform instruction in the current school year,” said Superintendent Folmer, “Some of our schools saw student achievement grow by anywhere from 15-22% at certain grade levels. We must now work together to replicate that level of achievement across every grade level and school in our district.’ This fall, the district has been conducting school-by-school reviews of the data and each school site leader is engaged in a process called ‘Principal Grade Level Expectations’ or PGLE, in which individualized plans are created to promote studentby-student growth toward mastery of grade level standards. This same level of analysis is happening at every level of the district including the
your local veterans organizations, volunteering, and donating. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 As the nation spends a day recognizconsist of thousands of military service ing our deployed, know that Clovis is members. also working to take care of our own deployed. Commander of the U.S. Central Command, General Michael "Erik" Central Valley Blue Star Moms are Kurilla said, "The arrival of these highly collecting for their package drive. They capable forces to the region is a strong send packages to the deployed for the signal of deterrence should any actor holidays and they need the communihostile to Israel consider trying to take ty’s help with this. They are collecting advantage of this situation.” non-perishable goods through Nov 18. One of the drop off locations is Clovis Ways to support our deployed service members in recognition of National Day Veterans Memorial District. of the Deployed include reaching out to The non-perishable goods they need
DEPLOYED
individual teacher-student level, where teachers work with their site leadership to create individualized intervention plans for every student who did not achieve at or above their grade level standard. That work informs the day-to-day instruction delivered by teachers in the classroom.
Across the state, students have been slow to rebound to pre-pandemic levels of academic achievement. By comparison, among school districts testing over 20,000 students, Clovis Unified results are the second highest of any school district in the state, and the highest of any school district with an SED population of over 40%. While teachers are putting in incredible effort to overcome challenges to learning such as restoring classroom behavior expectations; re-developing the interpersonal relationships between students and their peers and between students and their teachers that equates to success in the classroom; they have also faced the decreases in attendance rates and the impact time away from the classroom has on a students’ learning.
Photo by Clovis Roundup Staff
school builds on the learning that took place in the years before it; though the pandemic is receding further into history, it would be premature to say that our students are no longer experiencing its impact.”
With research showing that every year of
include: • Tuna or Chicken Creations/Lunch Kits (packages with condiments/crackers) • Tuna/Chicken Pouches/Pop Tops • Microwavable Meals (that do not require refrigeration) • Beef Jerky/Trail Mix/Nuts • Small Packs of Pringles/Cookies • Protein Bars • Individual Powdered Drink Mixes (for water bottles) • Tea Bags, Sugar, Creamer Packs • Breath Mints • Sunflower Seeds • Candy (tootsie rolls, dots, gummy bears,
jellybeans, jolly ranchers, no chocolate) • Gum (caffeine gum is a huge hit) • Cracker Jacks • Red/Black Licorice • Fruit snacks/fruit roll ups/gushers (no canned items like fruit cups) • Crossword Puzzles/Word Search Games • Black Pens • Music CDs • Small Nerf Balls or Footballs • Frisbees, Yo-Yo's • Card Games (Uno, Skip Bo, etc) • Velcro Dart Games • Tennis Ball, Hacky Sacks • Chap Stick/Wet Wipes/Sunscreen Lotion • Black or white cotton socks
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16 . Clovis Roundup Community Newspaper Connect with us @ClovisRoundup
www.ClovisRoundup.com . Thursday, October 26, 2023
Clovis 7th grader is a young horse champion Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup
October 20, 2023 - Sofia Margaryan is a 7th grader at Reyburn Intermediate who has been dedicated to horseback riding since she was just a few years old. Her mother, Rose Margaryan, said that Sofia fell in love with horses at the age of three and a half after her uncle took her to visit a friend’s ranch. “It just clicked for her and she knew she wanted to be a cowgirl,” said Rose.
Sofia takes lessons at Rick Kelley’s Performance Horses, which has been an important horse facility in Clovis for many years. Owned and operated by Rick and Alison Kelley—they offer lessons and training in addition to boarding. “I’m so grateful that God led us to Rick and Alison Kelley when she was 5 years old.”
Sofia’s mother said that the connection she Once competitions began, however, they made with her trainer, Alison, was a miracle. quickly realized that Sofia was going to outgrow Cruiser. So, on Christmas Day of “She went from being an introvert, very quiet outside of the home, to being a strong, 2021, they purchased Shootin’ Fireball, also confident and happy young lady,” said Rose. known as Captain. “Building ever lasting friendships and bonds not just with her horse, but with her friends at the barn. The work ethic that these girls have is unmatched!”
The new horse allowed Sofia to advance to the next level, and she has seen much success with Captain.
“It's just been an all around lifestyle that we’ve all had to adapt to,” Rose told us.
“This whole thing has been a whirlwind— this horse life,” said Rose.
It all started with Sofia taking one lesson, then it increased to the point of her parents Rose and Armen talking with Rick and Alison about buying a horse. They now own 5 horses.
They purchased her first horse, Cruiser, in August 2020. It was a huge family event with a gold bow around Cruiser’s neck, and all her family there to see Sofia’s reaction to getting her first horse.
Just recently at the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association’s (PCQHA) 2023 California Championship in Paso Robles, Sofia won: Reserve Champion, Circuit Champion, High Point Champion, and Grand Champion with Buckle.
Rose Margaryan was very excited to share what Rick and Alison have done for her daughter. She couldn’t emphasize enough how grateful her and her husband were for all of the opportunities that Rick and Alison have given her—in addition to the continuous love, support, and encouragement they show their clients and horses. “We are so proud to be a part of Rick and Alison Kelley Performance Horses!” Rose and Armen Margaryan invited us to come out and watch one of the lessons at Rick Kelley’s Performance Horses.
Allison was leading instruction on that particular day, and the first thing we noticed was how technical it was. From terminology to maneuvers, this is clearly a very technical sport.
Professional Photos submitted by Rose and Armen Margaryan The Margaryans & Rick Kelley at the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association's (PCQHA) 2023 California Championship in Paso Robles.
A detail-oriented instructor, Alison instills discipline and structure. She emphasizes consistency. This competition training program is serious—and a high level of performance is expected from these
Professional Photos submitted by Rose and Armen Margaryan Sofia with Captain stopping.
students.
The lesson started out with each student running structured maneuvers in the area, one after another. Being on display alone in the arena helps prepare the students for being on display during competition.
Alison offers each student constructive criticism called “grinding.” This is crucial for their improvement, but it also helps prepare them for judging within competitions. This is, without a doubt, a serious sport— and these girls are athletes.
“Even though at times these girls compete against one another, they all support each other, help each other and encourage each other,” said Rose Margaryan. “We are so excited to see what God has in store for Sofia.”
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