Valley Voice Issue 140 (2 May, 2019)

Valley Voice

Volume XXXIX No. 9 2 May, 2019 ourvalleyvoice.com

Blair prevails in Lemoore anti-SLAPP suit

Tulare releases independent Nunley investigation

CATHERINE DOE

DAVE ADALIAN

To the consternation of several Lemoore residents, the city council approved a “compromise and Release Agreement” that orders the city to rescind Council Member Holly Blair’s censure and pay her legal fees.

During a special afternoon session on April 25th the city council voted 4 – 1 to approve the Release Agreement, with Council Member Chad Billingsley voting no.

Phelps, who has worked for State Senator Andy Vidak, Congressman Jim Costa and former State Assembly Minority Leader Connie Conway, sees himself as a “policy guy,” and believes he has both the knowledge and experience to do a better job for the 26th District. He currently serves as the director of grant oversight for the Manuel Torres Resource Center.

While Phelps is young--he will be 26 by the time the race is decided in June of 2020--he already has a long list of impressive endorsements. Those backing Phelps include Tulare County Board of Education Trustee Pat Hillman, Tulare Local Health Care District (TLHCD) directors Senovia Gutierrez and Mike Jamaica, retired Tulare City School District superintendents Bill

The Tulare City Council has rejected Councilman Greg Nunley’s demand for a public apology and a $16.5 million compensation package for alleged damage to his reputation and income; and, meanwhile, an independent investigation of Nunley’s treatment of city employees has been released, finding the councilman threatened to have city hall staff members fired.

According to the investigative report by Fresno attorney Daniel Rowley, Nunley was accused by city staff of “rude, inappropriate treatment” of building inspectors, issuing demands certain members of the staff at city hall be fired and threatening to sue both the city and individual staff members.

Nunley also claims he was the victim of a campaign of harassment by Chief Building Inspector John Karlie.

Rowley’s report on Nunley’s behavior--which cost the city more than $20,000--appears to support staff’s claims of inappropriate behavior, finding that Nunley, while cooperative, was not reliable in his testimony.

“Mr. Nunley was not a credible witness,” Rowley’s report concluded. “On key issues involving his interactions with city staff, I find Mr. Nunley to lack credibility in comparison to ...city employees.”

The move to reject Nunley’s claim for compensation--stemming from his accusation the city allowed false information about him and his business to be published--came during a council session held on April 16. With Councilwoman Terry Sayre absent and Nunley

PHELPS continued on 11 »

NUNLEY continued on 11 »

catherine@ourvalleyvoice.com

dave@ourvalleyvoice.com

Background

Legal problems between Blair and the City of Lemoore started when the city council censured Blair in August of 2018. This was followed up a few months later by a Cease and Desist letter demanding Blair stop publicly criticizing city employees. The city then filed a lawsuit that included a restraining order and an injunction to silence Blair’s public criticism of the Lemoore Police Chief and City Manager.

Lemoore presented their case three times to Kings County Superior Court Judge Kathy Ciuffini, asking the judge to issue a restraining order against Blair.

In response, Blair fled an antSLAPP suit in March.

According to Blair’s suit, “The anti-SLAPP statute was enacted to check a disturbing increase in lawsuits brought primarily to chill the valid exercise of the constitutional right of freedom of speech and petition.”

The

The Agreement Release

Agreement

was

BLAIR continued on 12 »

Drew Phelps’ supporters turned out at VIP Pizza in Tulare. Tony Maldonado/Valley Voice

District 26 assembly race kicks off with Phelps announcement Tularean enters the race, aiming for Mathis’ seat DAVE ADALIAN

dave@ourvalleyvoice.com

Candidate Drew Phelps is getting an early start in the 2020 race for the District 26 State Assembly seat, announcing his candidacy at a kick-off party in Tulare last week.

The 24-year-old Tulare native believes the incumbent--Devon Mathis (R-Visalia)--isn’t getting the job done and lacks a vision for the 26th District.

“I’m running because things have been ignored for too long,” Phelps said.

The problem, according to Phelps, is our current assemblyman isn’t taken seriously by his colleagues in the state capital.

“Devon Mathis doesn’t get a whole lot of respect,” Phelps said. “That leads to not getting a lot done on the policy side.”

Community colleges will soon shift away from placement tests JOHN DILLON

john@ourvalleyvoice.com

A 2017 bill is expected to be widely implemented this fall across all California community colleges.

Assembly Bill 705 was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on October 13, 2017. The law prohibits California community colleges from using placement tests to determine eligibility for prerequisite courses.

“We should see a reduction in ‘time to completion’ for the majority of community college students, as well as a significant closure of achievement gaps for underrepresented students,” says Alice Perez, a spokesperson for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. “We will achieve core goals in the Vision for Success, which Chancellor Eloy Oakley refers to as ‘the Civil Rights call of our time.’”

Text in the bill requires students to self-report high school grades. According to the bill, this new process is

meant to combat assessments that do not represent students from low-income communities. The Chancellor’s office does have the power to create a universal statewide assessment, but they have not done so yet.

“There may be an assessment instrument submitted to the Board of Governors for ESL, but the Advisory Group has not concluded its research and analysis in this area,” says Perez.

This bill will see an influx of students in entry-level English and math classes rather than taking remedial classes.

While the remedial classes will still be available, students will now have to elect to take them independent of the administration or faculty.

Tutoring courses and ESL programs are not affected by the bill.

“There are no direct costs associated with AB 705; however, colleges are using Student Equity and Achievement (SEA) Program and Equity funds

COLLEGE continued on 12 »

Tulare hospital district suing former counsel & board members TONY MALDONADO

tony@ourvalleyvoice.com

The Tulare Local Healthcare District has struck three of its former board members — and its prior legal counsel — with a lawsuit.

The Baker Hostetler law firm, attorney Bruce Greene, Dr. Parmod Kumar, former board president Linda Wilbourn, and former board member Richard Torrez were all named in the suit, filed Wednesday, April 24 by attorney Michael Lampe.

Kevin Northcraft, the district board’s president, announced that night that the board voted unanimously to file suit against the five parties.

Greene and the firm have been accused of breaching their fiduciary duty to the district and putting their own interests, and the interests of Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA) CEO Dr. Benny Benzeevi, above those of the district. Greene and Baker Hostetler represented HCCA and Ben-

zeevi while simultaneously representing the district.

They’ve also been accused of professional negligence, and the district claims Greene committed fraud while attempting to deny Senovia Gutierrez a spot on the board after she won a recall election.

The suit also accuses the former board members of breaching their fiduciary duties to the district when they approved a resolution that gave HCCA the power to borrow up to $22m in the district’s name, with the approval to use district property as collateral, without requiring further approval from the board.

HCCA would later sell some of the district’s property for in $3m in a leaseback deal with Celtic Leasing. The deal has come under scrutiny by the Tulare County District Attorney’s office, which claims that Benzeevi used the funds from the deal to enrich himself.

LAWSUIT continued on 13 »

2 May, 2019 Valley Voice

2

FROM THE PUBLISHER'S DESK

Where’s John Lennon When You Need Him?

GET SOLAR

Design your system how you want it

Here are some excerpts from a column I wrote in September of 2017 entitled “How Greene Was My Valley.” …Now the new board can’t get sufficient financial information, including audits, from HCCA–which is threatening to sue the board for multiple breaches of its financial obligations. The board, in turn, hasn’t been able to meet in regular session for two months because HCCA’s attorney, Bruce Greene of Baker Hostetler, asserts that, according to California Election Code section 15400, Senovia Gutierrez will not actually be a sitting board member until the board itself declares her to be one.

According to Greene and HCCA, the current board consists of Northcraft, Mike Jamaica, and Richard Torrez, the latter of who sat–chiefly in silence–on the old board.

Through its attorney, Robert Welsh of Baker Hostetler, HCCA promised to Superior Court Judge Melinda Reed on 18 September that it would declare Gutierrez elected at TLHCD’s next regular board meeting scheduled for 27 September.

Until recently Greene has been the attorney for both TLHCD and HCCA. But has he really been? In nearly two years of observation it seems to me that Greene has acted in favor of HCCA and actively against the district’s interests.

Greene, and Baker Hostetler, were terminated by the new board in a special meeting on 9 August.

According to the most recently filed court documents in a motion to force Greene and Torrez to declare Gutierrez, Greene and Baker Hostetler have thus far–as of 13 September–refused to accept the validity of their termination.

Let’s take a look-see at what 15400 actually says: The governing body shall declare elected or nominated to each office voted on at each election under its jurisdiction the person having the highest number of votes for that office, or who was elected or nominated under the exceptions noted in Section 15452. The governing board shall also declare the results of each election under its jurisdiction as to each measure voted on at the election.

In plain language, then, to declare election results is a ministerial obligation the board has to its constituency–and not a mechanism by which it itself certifies the result of an election.

If Gutierrez was, as the law says, a sitting board member upon her election and swearing-in, then Greene would have had no choice but to accept his firing.

How well has he served the board these past two months?

I revisit, and truncate, this column in reaction to the 25 April news of this year that–at long last–the Tulare Local Healthcare District (TLHCD) board is bringing suit against Greene, Torrez, former board member Dr. Parmod Kumar and former board president Linda Wilbourn. We saw this particular writing on the wall nearly two years ago.

But I also revisit, and truncate, this column because it’s easier than taking new time to refurnish an old analysis. TLHCD has moved on, and so have we: the Chief and I have just bought a house and are right now in the process of moving; every time I’ve sat down to write, my thoughts have not revisited any old analysis but rather vaulted to where some lost object might be–and where best to store the stuff we’re moving in.

You never know how much stuff you have until you move. We’ve moved three times in just under five years–intentionally jettisoning things along the way–and still we’re inundated with stuff.

Where’s John Lennon when you need him?

I mean, what is all this stuff? Where’d it all come from? Whose is it, and what does it do? I assume it’s important stuff, because we still have it, but some of this stuff I haven’t seen in years. Some of this stuff I’ve even completely forgotten about, yet here it is. In boxes, spilling out of boxes, or waiting to be put into boxes.

And we haven’t unpacked very many boxes over the last five taxing years because we knew the last two rentals we were in represented lifeboats until this house eventually became available.

It’s not like having new stuff. It’s like having fresh eyes on old stuff. Heartening as it is to rediscover some of this stuff, still, it’s a calamity of unprecedented experience.

Ah–but it could always be worse, right?

You could have no stuff. Imagine that!

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Valley Voice 2 May, 2019

POLITICAL FIX Facing Unpleasant Facts – A Cow’s Crisis

The barn took on an orange hue as the last sliver of sun dipped below the horizon. It was the end of another perfect spring day in Iowa.

But not for Daisy.

Life is never easy when you are #DevinNunesCow. Her politically connected owner had always given her the bonafides to lead the herd and win elections by a landslide.

But now she had become the butt of jokes. #BeButter, #MooToo, Cow22, had all left the cows laughing behind Daisy’s back.

Daisy was wise enough to know the jokes would pass.

What she hated the most about @DevinCow was that they were ruining her reputation. She was a Charolais, a breed of cow from the political establishment, not the plebeian Holstein as portrayed on Twitter.

She toyed with the idea of filing a defamation lawsuit against Twitter, but Daisy was more dignified than that.

Being witty and charming, she was considered the leader of the conservative party in her shire and used her fundraising prowess towards the unlikely election of Petain, the shire’s Dear Leader.

But even before the Twitter scandal erupted her political

landscape was changing. In the last election Daisy faced a unexpectedly well funded bull.

Bulls were stupid and rarely won local elections. Petain was a bull but different, and a far cry from Boxer, her 2018 opponent.

Boxer was too stupid to even understand how the dairy industry used him. Thankfully, Daisy thought, dairies artificially inseminate the cows to keep them milking. But Boxer pranced around completely clueless like a stud lording over his harem.

Daisy once heard a milker with noticeably small hands say about Boxer, “He keeps the ladies honest.” She was highly offended and would have organized a trample, but then thought, “He’s just not worth it.”

Somehow Boxer came within 11 points of Daisy, the closest election she had ever had. This rattled Daisy and the normally composed bovine withdrew from public life.

Daisy blamed the media.

The Fresno Bee relentlessly published negative articles about her owner, including one about a lawsuit against a company owned yacht with which he had no connection.

Then there was that annoying free rag that strikes like a guerilla combatant, gets the story, and retreats to home base.

The Valley Voice’s story “Nunes Flees Coffee Shop” was hardly serious journalism.

3 a column by CATHERINE DOE — catherine@ourvalleyvoice.com Why didn’t more people follow Tulare City Council Member Carlton Jones’ advice when he said, “I never read that throwaway.”

Her shire’s local media was also unrelenting and had uncovered how Petain allegedly got elected by foreign intervention.

Wolfe News reported credible evidence that the industry’s enemy, the Oregonians, had surreptitiously intervened to get Petain elected. Daisy had always been a hawk on Oregon, and the spread of veganism, but now it looked like they were behind her Dear Leader’s unlikely win.

Trying to digest all the evidence, she couldn’t just assuage her conscience, or divert her attention, through filing endless law suits, issuing subpoenas, or making criminal referrals in the capitol.

Daisy spiraled into full blown identity crisis.

“Am I a conservative or a liberal?”

“Am I a patriot or a traitor?”

“Am I from Iowa or California?”

“Do I even exist?”

Finally, she queried, “If vegans want Petain to be president then why do I?” The last election cycle had shaken Daisy’s foundation of everything she believed. Was her human capable of the same feelings of doubt that plagued her? Was he also having a crisis of raison d’etre?

In her delirium Daisy couldn’t decide which was worse - a cow having an existential crisis, or a human who had fewer twitter followers than a cow.

She was one unhinged bovine.

The night wore on and she was left alone with her thoughts in a far corner of the field. This was a truly personal struggle about how to move forward and sort out her political future. Daisy had to embrace her new normal.

It was twilight and the dew hung heavy on each blade of grass as the sun peeked over the field. Daisy regurgitated a mouthful of her midnight snack and between each chew became even more defiant.

She knew she needed to grow a tougher hide if she was going to continue her political career.

Then she had an epiphany.

She lowed at the rising sun with an outstretched neck and let out a nice long methane loaded cow fart.

“Take that you stupid Oregon-climate-changer vegans. I hold all the cards.”

It was the beginning of another perfect Iowa morning as Daisy defiantly thought “I’m running for reelection and so is my Dear Leader - and we are going to win in 2020.”

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Citizen group aims to improve local mental health care DAVE ADALIAN

dave@ourvalleyvoice.com

What began as a social media post is quickly becoming a concerted effort to change the way mental illness is viewed and treated in Tulare County.

Leading the effort is Visalia resident Danelle Evangelho, a long-time sufferer of depression who decided to go public about difficulties she had finding adequate treatment.

The response to her initial Facebook post was far greater than she expected, the support overwhelming.

Now, many of those who responded have banded together to form a group dedicated to finding better ways to treat patients who suffer from mental illness--Mental Health - Partners and Allies in the County of Tulare (M-PACT).

“Basically, I am a mental health patient in Tulare County, mostly in Visalia,” Evangelho said. “With my own experience, I came to realize how many problems there are with (treatment options available locally). It’s something people don’t want to talk about.

I posted about my problems and wanted to see if anyone else was having problems themselves.”

Better Treatment Options

M-PACT’s members want to remove the stigma attached to being labeled as mentally ill while bringing understanding through education and outreach, and their main goal is to open a crisis residential treatment (CRT) facility--a home-like setting for

treatment--in Tulare County.

“Right now, the option for people having a crisis is going to the ER,” Evangelho said. “They’ll determine if you’re having a crisis, and if you are, their only option is sending you to Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital (KDMHH).”

Evangelho says that facility simply isn’t equipped to deal with long-term treatment.

“I went through my own experience there. I didn’t realize how bad and traumatizing and pointless it would be,” she said. “I got no help, because they don’t give help. They medicate you until you can be released, depending on what insurance you have.”

‘Help in the Moment’

According to KDMHH’s website, the average patient stay there is just eight days.

While the facility provides psychiatric assessment and referrals to other treatment providers, its main work is “acute inpatient crisis intervention and medication stabilization services.”

What Evangelho and the other members of M-PACT would like to see is a treatment facility that provides “a real mental, emotional break--a place where someone can be given real help in the moment” to prevent a downslide into an acute situation or to recover from one.

However, public funding for such facilities is extremely limited, and those that exist are generally funded by the communities in which they exist.

M-PACT’s members are hoping to use grant funding to reach their long-term goal.

“That’s our big one (creating a CRT). That’s what started M-Pact,” said Evangelho. “We’re going to chew at it until we get it accomplished, but we’re also going to chew on other things.”

Community of Support

While building a CRT in Tulare County is M-PACT’s main goal, Evangelho and the group’s other founding board members--including DJ Dowdy and Ariana Lizotte--hope M-PACT will become a clear voice in the community supporting mental health patients and treatment.

“People just need to ask, demand really. It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. The real power is when people get angry,” Evangelho said. “We want to create a community of mental health activists who will speak up when we need action.”

And, they want to simply provide places where those who suffer from mental illness can vent their feelings and discuss their experiences.

“Reading about that can make a huge difference. They say, ‘me too,’” Evangelho said. “It’s empowering when so many people see they aren’t alone.”

Changing Perception

Education and outreach, they believe, will lead to a genuine desire to provide substantial help to those who suffer from a mental illness and to the

community of health care providers who treat them.

“That’s more than half the job. The community needs to be aware there’s a problem,” Evangelho said. “They need to be aware what mental illness looks like. Sometimes it’s hard to be compassionate with people with mental illness, because it tends to bleed out.”

M-PACT also wants to go beyond removing the stigma associated with seeking treatment for emotional problems.

“We want to make mental health cool, not just acceptable,” Evangelho said.

From Weakness to Strength

She also wants those who struggle with mental illness to realize their full potential and see their ability to contribute to society constructively.

“For me and a lot of the people I talk to, we are artists. We are exceptional people with unique talents and perspectives. That’s why we can be such creative and giving people.

All of the coolest parts of myself are wrapped with my mental illness,” Evangelho said. “I wouldn’t trade that for anything. It’s worth all of it to have my gift. I want other people to see that, to see their strengths as advantages.”

While M-PACT is still in its fledgling stage, the group already has hundreds of active members providing peer counseling, resources, advice and a space to vent.

Those interested in joining the group can contact them at facebook. com/groups/MPACTTulareCounty/

County breaks ground on Fire Station No. 1 STAFF REPORTS County officials gathered this week to break ground and kick off construction of a new fire station, Tulare County Fire Station No. 1 on April 16, 2019.

The County has planned for the relocation of Fire Station No. 1 from its current location in a Cal Fire facility since the department’s formation in 2006.

“This new fire station is a result of the forward thinking and investment efforts made by previous members of the Board of Supervisors and the continued efforts of the current Board to carry out these investments,” shared Chairman Kuyler Crocker, County Supervisor representing District One. “Investing in our public safety departments is of upmost importance and this new facility will better enhance the safety needs to this area of the County.”

In an effort to strategically enhance the County’s public safety services, the new station will provide a permanent County-owned facility that is also centrally located in the area

of response.

The new location will be at Avenue 256 and Road 140, south of Visalia and adjacent to the County’s Transportation and Maintenance and Animal Ser-

vices facilities.

“This new location will be instrumental meeting our goals to reduce risks to public safety and provide compassionate service to those in need,” stated Tulare County Fire Chief, Charlie Norman at the groundbreaking event.

“Our new fire station will provide for quicker responses to the neighboring schools and communities in this area.”

In addition to housing fire personnel, the new facility will also include a community room to allow for public outreach and community involvement for nearby schools.

Construction of the new fire station is estimated to cost $4 million and is fully funded by the County’s Capital Projects fund.

The station is set to be completed and fully operational early next year. Construction of the project was awarded to Forcum Mackey Construction, Inc. of Ivanhoe.

Tulare’s hospital is now Adventist Health Tulare STAFF REPORTS Less than six months after Adventist Health reopened the doors of Tulare Regional Medical Center, the hospital officially has become part of the Adventist Health Family. The hospital is now known as Adventist Health Tulare.

All material documents were filed or formalized on Friday, March 15, 2019, to start the lease and change the license ownership to reflect Adventist Health.

This means that Adventist Health transitions from managing the hospital for the Tulare Local Health Care District to leasing and operating it as an Adventist Health hospital. While

the lease began on March 15, Adventist Health needed formal approval California Department of Public Health approval to begin calling the hospital Adventist Health Tulare, which occurred April 26.

The name change reflects the efforts of countless people, including Adventist Health employees, the Tulare Local Health Care District, Citizens for Accountability, a very dedicated Tulare team, plus Tulare voters, all pulling together to reopen the hospital, said Randy Dodd, president of Adventist Health Tulare.

Before summer’s end, the Tulare team will resume birthing ser-

vices in the Obstetrics wing and welcome the first baby born at Adventist Health Tulare.

The change is the fulfillment of the community’s steadfast mission to provide high-quality health care to Tulare’s residents, said Kevin Northcraft, president of the board of the hospital district.

“What a significant milestone in the Tulare community’s progress in restoring our local hospital,” he said.

“The beginning of the Adventist Health lease is expected to restore quality, local, self-sustaining hospital facilities for our 70,000 residents – and their descendants and successors – for at least

the next 30 years.”

He called Tulare “the rare community” of determined, civic-minded citizens who donated countless hours to right a wrong.

“God bless Adventist Health Tulare, our new hospital, and God bless our beloved greater Tulare community,” he said.

In all, the hospital now employs nearly 400 employees throughout the hospital and various support services.

A blessing, dedication and celebratory luncheon for the team and supporters is planned for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 in the hospital parking lot.

Valley Voice 2 May, 2019

5

AGRICULTURE

102nd annual dinner celebrates Farm Bureau leaders STAFF REPORTS

Tulare County Farm Bureau is pleased to announce their annual celebration of members and leaders to take place during the 102nd Annual Dinner to be hosted on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 6:00 pm at the Heritage Complex in Tulare, Calif. Tickets for the event are $50 each and can be purchased by contacting the Tulare County Farm Bureau at 732-8301. Tulare County Farm Bureau will present the following major awards: the Agriculturalist of the Year, Service to Farm Bureau, Agricultural Business of the Year and the Outstanding Educator of the Year; along with graduating the 34th class of youth leaders and awarding $18,500 in local scholarships to 24 deserving students. Being honored this year with major awards are:

Agriculturalist of the Year Ben Curti

Ben Curti will be this year’s Agriculturalist of the Year. Farm Bureau’s highest honor recognizes leaders in our community who give tremendous support to the farming community through leadership, generosity, and service to organizations. Curti is a third generation dairyman, hailing from the Waukena area, which is southwest of Tulare. His family started their dairy operation in 1913 after emigrating from Italy. Today, Ben owns and operates Curtimade Dairy, Inc. and Ben Curti Farms consisting of a milking herd of 3,700 Jersey cows. He also farms over 1,300 acres producing forage crops, as well as pistachios and walnuts.

The Curti family has been a member of Land O’Lakes and its predecessor Dairyman’s Creamery Cooperative Association since 1945. Ben himself

served in both co-ops’ elected leadership, including 15 years as a Director for the Corporate Board of Land O’Lakes, Inc. Ben’s family is directly involved in the day to day operations, with his daughter Tessa and son-in-law Stuart Hall directly involved in operating the dairy alongside Ben and his wife Elizabeth.

Service to Farm Bureau Joey Airoso

The Service to Farm Bureau award is presented to an active member, and volunteer leader who has served Farm Bureau for many years and gives of their time, talent, and treasure to improve the organization and support the mission of Farm Bureau. Joey Airoso is this year’s recipient. He is involved in owning and operating a third generation family-owned dairy and farm. He was previously a board member of the Tulare County Farm Bureau, and served as president of the Farm Bureau from 2014-2016. He has served on numerous committees and chaired the Centennial Committee in 2017.

His family breeds registered Holstein Cattle for show and sale, and are devoted to improving the Holstein Breed through top quality breeding.

He shares his passion for show cattle with youth and is a fervent supporter of youth livestock showing, and promoting the dairy industry to the public. Joey is a dedicated father, husband, and grandfather and gives generously of himself to many causes in the farm and dairy community.

Agricultural Business of the Year Gar Tootelian, Inc.

Gar Tootelian, Inc. will be named

this year’s Agricultural Business of the Year, for their dedicated service to the agricultural community, and their philanthropic support of many local organizations and the Farm Bureau.

Each year Tulare County Farm Bureau honors a local business that has shown extraordinary support to Farm Bureau and the greater agricultural community. You need look no further than to Greg and Karen Musson, and their family members who run Gar Tootelian, Inc. to see philanthropy, community support, and devotion to one’s industry. GAR is a second-generation family owned and operated business which still prospers as one of California’s oldest & largest independent agricultural companies. GAR continues to help growers throughout the Central San Joaquin Valley be successful by helping them grow the best and safest food to feed the world.

Degree and over 200 students receive their American Farmer Degree, the highest national honor in the FFA organization.

Outstanding Educator Dave Caetano

Scholarship recipients from throughout Tulare County -- 24 students -- are receiving $18,500 in scholarship aid. Awards are made possible by the Tulare County Farm Bureau’s charitable trust fund, which is a 501c3 charitable trust for Education and Scholarship programs of the Farm Bureau.

Donations for scholarships are made by contributors throughout the year, and are always appreciated. Memorial awards have been established by certain families, and the Scott Shannon memorial award is a renewable award for up to $2,000 total.

All other awards listed below are one-time awards.

For more information about this year’s honorees or to attend the dinner, contact the Farm Bureau office at 559732-8301. Tickets at $50 each are available please call soon as seating is first come, first served. Reservations for a full table of 8 may be requested in advance.

A dedicated career educator, Dave Caetano will complete 40 years of teaching as an agricultural educator at Tulare Joint Union High School District this year. Dave embodies all of the strengths and character of an outstanding teacher and mentor and will be awarded the honor at this year’s annual dinner.

Originally from Kingsburg, Dave has spent his entire agricultural teaching career at Tulare in the High School Agriculture Department serving thousands of students and mentoring championship FFA teams and individuals for the past four decades.

He has coached 29 State Championship teams, 3 National Championship teams, and 5 National top 5 Finishers. He has coached more than 500 students to receive their State Farmer

Youth Awards and Recognition

Numerous students will be recognized at the banquet including 24 students graduating from the 34th class of the nationally recognized Youth Leadership program.

The outstanding Youth Leadership participant award will be awarded to a student of the class who was selected as an exemplary member of this year’s program.

The outstanding participant will receive a $1,000 scholarship upon enrollment in college.

Scholarship Recipients for 2019

Survey illustrates ongoing shortages of farm employees KEVIN HECTEMAN

Ag Alert/California Farm Bureau Federation

California farmers and ranchers still don’t have enough people to do all the work, and nothing short of an act of Congress is likely to resolve the problem long term: That’s the conclusion of survey results released this week by the California Farm Bureau Federation.

The anonymous, voluntary survey, conducted earlier this year in

collaboration with the University of California, Davis, found that 56% of respondents weren’t able to hire enough people as they needed at some point during the previous five years. Of the farmers reporting employee shortages, the survey indicated worsening problems the past two years, with 70% saying they had more trouble hiring people in 2017 and 2018.

It’s not for a lack of trying, CFBF President Jamie Johansson said.

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“The survey shows farmers have tried and are trying all the tactics available to them, such as increased wages, changes in farming and cropping patterns, use of the existing H-2A visa program and automation where appropriate,” Johansson said. “The missing element is an improved agricultural immigration system, to match willing employees with farm employers.”

Farmers responding to the survey spoke of a multitude of problems caused by the shortages, from abandoning crops in the field for want of harvest crews to leaving fields and orchards unplanted altogether. More than a third—37%—said they’d delayed or reduced weeding and pruning, or otherwise adjusted cultivation practices.

Others are switching crops or mechanizing where possible.

The survey found that 56% of respondents have started using mecha-

nization, with more than half of those saying they did so due to employee shortages.

About 31% of farmers changed the acreage of their primary crop, with about half of those decreasing such acreage. Of farmers who reported switching crops, most chose less labor-intensive alternatives such as tree nuts (39%) or field crops such as corn or cotton (14%).

The top response to ongoing employee shortages was to raise wages.

The great majority of California farmers responding to the survey—86%— said they had raised wages in efforts to hire enough people. Of those who reported raising wages, responses showed that has become more widespread in recent years.

Colby Pereira, a farm manager who serves as president of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, said that in

LABOR continued on 13 »

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2 May, 2019 Valley Voice

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AGRICULTURE

Cherry growers hope for a comeback year CHING LEE

Ag Alert/California Farm Bureau Federation

California cherry farmers appear on track to harvest one of their largest crops in recent years, a sharp contrast from a year ago, when a late freeze and other weather-related troubles delivered one of their smallest cherry crops.

Growers and marketers note, however, that harvest is just beginning in the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley with the earliest varieties, including Royal Tioga, Royal Hazel and Royal Lynn, and that major weather events such as rain could still sour their season.

For now, though, people in the cherry business agree this year’s production seems on par with or better than 2017, when they packed nearly 9.6 million 18-pound boxes, the highest in the last 10 years, according to the California Cherry Board. Rivermaid Trading Co., a grower-shipper-packer in Lodi, estimated the 2019 cherry crop at about 10.5 million boxes.

“It’s a record crop,” said Kyle Persky, sales manager for Rivermaid.

The firm reported the increased crop will come mainly during the first half of the season and relates in part to higher acreage and yield in Coral Champagne, an earlier-ripening variety that grows well in the state’s southern and northern growing districts. Rivermaid also reported seeing a “relatively stronger” crop in the Tulare variety.

With a bigger crop, growers see smaller fruit sizes, which they are trying to remedy by thinning their trees and applying the plant hormone gibberellic acid to help maximize fruit size and firmness—qualities that export markets demand, Persky said.

Growers will be rewarded in price for bigger fruit, he added, while those who “hung a lot of fruit that’s not going to size” will have a challenge marketing it.

“With the thinning, it should be a good, marketable crop for us,” said Tom Gotelli, who manages Stockton-based OG Packing, which operates farms in the southern and northern districts.

Ralph Casciaro, who markets

cherries for King Fresh Produce in Dinuba, said he expects cherry sizes will be “all over the board,” with plenty of 11-row cherries and smaller, though he said he hopes there will be a “fair amount” of nine-and-a-half-row and larger. “Row” refers to the number of cherries that could fit in a row inside a box, with smaller numbers indicating larger-sized cherries.

Kern County grower Steve Murray said he’s done some spot-thinning in his orchards and “gib” applications, but he noted growers in the southern valley tend not to use much gibberellic acid because it delays harvest by several days. Southern-district growers aim to sell their crops early when there are no cherries on the market and prices are high, he said.

“On the very front end, it seems like our prices drop about $7 a day, and if you gib, you lose three days. It might cost you $20 a box,” he said.

Cherry volumes are expected to build in the coming days as farmers begin to pick the Brooks, Coral Champagne and Tulare varieties, with harvest in the southern district peaking in about two weeks, Gotelli said. Packers agree harvest of Bing cherries, still the most widely grown variety, will come later this year, with an estimated 60% of the fruit arriving after Memorial Day, traditionally an important holiday for retailers to promote cherries.

“This year, there really won’t be any Bings on Memorial Day, but we’ll have them for Father’s Day,” Persky said.

Breanna DeVita of King Fresh Produce said she’s not too concerned about having lighter Bing volumes going into Memorial Day, as there will be other red-cherry varieties available.

“There are so many varietals out there,” she said. “We’re going to do our best to plan accordingly to cover everyone—it just may not be Bings.”

Murray said he thinks cherry marketers should do more to promote the different cherry varieties, the way apple varieties are branded and promoted. Farmers, he said, are much more enthusiastic about new cherry varieties, which have different qualities of firmness and sweetness that should be branded.

A picker harvests cherries at Murray Family Farms in Kern County. Farmer Steve Murray says he started harvest last week with light volumes but expects to ramp up this week. Cecilia Parsons/CFBF

“I think increased consumption comes through branding,” he said.

Murray started picking “a very small amount of fruit” last week— enough to sell to farmers markets— and will be picking for packinghouses and the export market this week. He said about 75% of his trees “set a nice crop,” with about 20% producing just half a crop. This puts him in a “good position,” he said, though he noted some orchards in his region have not done as well. He described how some growers saw their trees bloom, but then the flowers aborted, resulting in a poor crop. Others set a large crop and are now “fighting smaller sizes.”

“It’s a mixed bag,” he said. “I don’t think we’re going to have a blockbuster that San Joaquin County is going to have.”

He noted growers are already downgrading their original estimates and forecasts as they drop more fruit on the ground. He said he thinks the crop from the southern district will also have more spurs and doubles— caused by extreme heat the previous summer during flower-bud formation—and that could further lower pack-outs.

“It continues to be a difficult area to grow cherries down here,” he said.

Even though farmers in his region are planting more newer varieties that

don’t require as much winter-chilling time to set fruit, Murray noted that Kern County cherry acreage continues to drop, with growers switching to other, more-attractive crops such as almonds, pistachios and table grapes.

Higher temperatures last week also may compress harvest, possibly resulting in some overlap this year between the southern and northern districts, he added.

Persky said he expects a “fairly smooth transition” with not much overlap between the California cherry season, which will probably run through mid-June, and the Pacific Northwest season, which is also running late this year. Gotelli, however, said he thinks the delay in the Northwest crop will result in a “big gap” in the market, though “we just don’t know how big it is right now.”

DeVita said she expects the early market will stay strong for at least another week or two, at which time volumes will get heavier.

“Opening quotes have been strong,” she said. “Business has been steady. Interest has been incredible. We’re looking forward to a good season.”

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

Experts tell how water availability affects land values STEVE ADLER

Ag Alert/California Farm Bureau Federation

One of the most frequently recurring themes of last week’s business conference of California agricultural appraisers was the impact the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, known as SGMA, is having on land values.

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als attended the three-day conference of the California Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers in Sacramento, where they heard a detailed presentation on agricultural land values by appraisers Janie Gatzman and Tiffany Holmes.

“Everything is all about SGMA these days,” said Gatzman, who runs an appraisal business in Oakdale.

“If a property owner has dual sources of water—surface water and

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groundwater—both of which are of good quality and low cost, they are going to be at the high end of the value range and will continue to increase in value,” Gatzman said. “If they only have well water, they will be at the low end of value and probably decreasing going forward. And that is not going to surprise anyone.”

Rural properties situated in a district that typically has lower federal or state water allocations will be of lower value, because buyers of orchards in those areas will generally have to buy additional land to have enough water to irrigate the planted acreage.

Those orchards will typically be at the low end of value, even if they are some of the highest-producing orchards, she said.

Another recurring theme was the tight availability of farm employees and the rising costs associated with those employees. One result has been

the increase in plantings of nut crops, which require fewer people to tend and harvest.

“Overall, labor costs have gone up tremendously over the past decade, so those lower-labor crops like nut crops are more profitable for growers,” Gatzman said. “But of course, water has had one of the biggest impacts that I have seen in the past 10 years, with buyers chasing land with the best water sources and now dual water sources. Typically, row crops require more labor or have greater competition from other countries that don’t have the regulatory requirements and labor requirements that we do, and hence have lower costs.”

California harvests a large proportion of the worldwide supply of tree nuts, she noted, “so we are a little better at setting those prices and we have lower labor costs. So, they tend to

VALUES continued on 13 »

2 May, 2019

VALLEYSCENE

ourvalleyvoice.com

VCIS students are ‘Way 2 Fierce’ in dance, drama and vocals production STAFF REPORTS

Shirley Keller, an artist from Three Rivers, and her “ink quilts.” Courtesy photo

Author writes about living with racial diversity DONNA OROZCO Shirley Keller grew up in social and ethnic diversity. Born into a socially activist family of Jewish ethnicity, she was raised by a black step-father and later felt compelled to live at Synanon as a safe haven for her interracial children.

She thought she had a story to tell.

The story became the recently published “But What about the Children?”

Keller will have a book signing and read excerpts at the Downtown Visalia First Friday Art Walk from 5-8 p.m., May 3 at the Brandon-Mitchell Gallery, 117 S. Locust.

The title of the book is the question Keller’s grandfather asked his daughter

when he tried to stop her from marrying a black man. Years later, Shirley wondered at that question from a man whose relatives had fled Russia because of the pogroms against Jewish people.

How could he discriminate against another group that was racially excluded?

Shirley now lives in Three Rivers where she coordinates each month’s 1st Saturday art event. Her life has been filled with larger-than-life people, people of different ethnicities and races, experiences of hatred and love—stories that make up the book. She has illustrated the stories with “ink quilts” which will be on display during the event.

The public is invited to come meet Shirley and hear some of her stories.

Visalia Charter Independent Study students will present two “Way 2 Fierce” performances of dance, drama and vocals at LJ Williams Theater on Saturday, May 18.

Performances will be offered at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 each and are available at both campuses, 1821 W. Meadow Lane, near College of the Sequoias, and 649 S. County Center, at the former Brandman University building.

The performing arts program is led by director Kassi Hampel. Shannon McMahon teaches vocals, Ryan McMahon teaches theater arts and Tim Avila teaches Rock Band.

“At VICS, we believe that performing arts are an integral part of a well-rounded education,” Hampel said. “In addition to dance, drama and choir, we offer guitar ensemble and rock band. Each class has performances throughout the semester, leading

up to the amazing spring variety show.

“Very few of our students have any performing arts experience. I am constantly amazed at how quickly they learn and their courage in trying something completely new – including performing on stage!”

VCIS is a charter school for students in grades nine through 12, with a focus on a flexible approach to education. As the only independent study program within Visalia Unified School District, VCIS students are able to enjoy an accredited education and a blended learning approach designed to meet each student’s individual needs.

In addition to the Performing Arts program, VCIS offers a culinary pathway, a wide variety of electives and dual enrollment opportunities which allow students to earn college credits while still in high school.

For information, call VCIS at 7358055 or visit www.vciseagles.org.

Tribute concert will honor Johnny Cash on May 4 at Visalia Fox Theater DAVE ADALIAN

Sixty schools participate in film festival TULARE COUNTY OFFICE OF ED. El Diamante student Mario Landeros wrote, animated, and scored a quirky film about an animation studio that is on the verge of being sued for developing a television program very similar to one previously on a network. The film, entitled Hawthorne Animations, features the studio founder Andres Hawthorne, the overly caffeinated colorist Sunshine Soleli, the young storyboard artist Fabian Ungren, and the all-seeing animator Charlie Mortimer. The threeand-a-half-minute video is just one of 500 student-produced films submitted to the annual Slick Rock Student Film Festival. The films were entered by students from 60 middle and high schools in Tulare, Kings, Kern, Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties.

To see Mario’s film in its entirety, along with 200 other top films entered in the Slick Rock Student Film Festival,

the public is invited to attend the “Premiere Cut” screening Friday, May 10 at the Visalia Fox Theatre, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. “I encourage the public to make time to support the valley’s young filmmakers by seeing some of these incredible films,” said Tulare County Superintendent of Schools Tim Hire. A schedule of Premiere Cut showings will be available soon at tcoe.org/SlickRock.

For the filmmakers, the awards ceremony will begin at 5:15 p.m. with a limo ride to the Fox Theatre. Students will emerge from chauffeur-driven cars to throngs of cheering fans and paparazzi, as they pause in front of the “step and repeat” wall to pose for photos, Hollywood premiere-style.

The awards ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 6:30 p.m. Winners in 18 film categories, plus several special awards, will be presented.

It’s been 50 years since Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Three went behind the walls of San Quentin Prison to perform the legendary concert that became an iconic album from the Man in Black. At 7:30pm on Saturday, May 4, former Hanford resident James Garner and his band will mark that anniversary by bringing Cash’s music back to life at the Fox Theater Visalia.

Music and History

The show will not only be a night of songs from Cash’s two concert albums-“At San Quentin” and “At Folsom Prison”--it will also be a night filled with stories and history about one of country music’s greatest legends.

“I think most tributes are cover bands--and we do cover the music--but there’s a lot of history with each song,” Garner said.

While performing some 600 shows since 2007, Garner and the Boom-Chicka-Boom Band have shared not just Cash’s music, but explained the context behind his songs.

“We also, for lack of a better word, educate people about Johnny Cash,”

Garner said. “I want to leave people with an idea of who Johnny Cash was, the impact he had on people and on the music industry.”

Lifelong Fascination

During the show, Garner tells the story of Cash’s life, a story of struggle and eventual success.

“Not only the music is fascinating, his life is fascinating. It’s an essential rags-to-riches story,” he said. “It’s all born out of the research I’ve been doing for 30 years.”

Garner became a fan of Cash and his music at an early age. A native of Hanford, he discovered Johnny Cash during a visit to a Visalia record store when he was just 12 years old.

“Johnny Cash actually came and played in Hanford--I was in the sixth grade--I didn’t know who he was,” Garner said.

While he didn’t get a chance then to see the show, his interest was piqued and his fascination began. Garner’s mother eventually gave him an opportunity to satisfy his curiosity about Cash during a visit to Visalia’s now-defunct Sam Goodie Records.

Concert continued on 10 »

2 May, 2019 Valley Voice

8

Visalia Fox Theatre Board bids farewell to Executive Director STAFF REPORTS With a mix of sadness and gratitude, the Visalia Fox Theatre’s Board of Directors announce the resignation of Erin Olm-Shipman as Executive Director, effective April 27, 2019.

Erin will be relocating with her family to her hometown of Kansas City, where she will embark on a new endeavor as Business Development Manager at her family’s practice.

Since 2014, Erin has played a pivotal role in the development and success of the Visalia Fox. “We are truly sorry to see Erin leave, but we are so grateful for the work she has done,” said George Christiansen, Chairman of the Board. “She has overseen incredible growth and improvement, and she leaves the non-profit theater in a very strong position for future growth,” he added. Under Erin’s dedicated leadership, the Visalia Fox

successfully: Refocused programming initiatives to align with the organization’s mission to enrich Visalia’s diverse cultural landscape through audience engagement and community outreach.

Public programs expanded by more than 70%, and average event attendance increased by 37%; • Stabilized organizational finances by diversifying revenue streams and securing exempt status in order to reduce operational expenses; • Completed a number of major facility and technical upgrade projects, including rigging system and clock tower repairs, box office restoration and backstage renovation, acquisition of LED stage lighting system, electrical system upgrades, and more; • Expanded engagement

through a variety of community partnerships, and the development of numerous educational opportunities; • Revitalized and rebranded the organization’s public image, including the complete rebuild of the Visalia Fox Theatre’s website in 2018; • Supported the growth of a creative and capable team of employees and volunteers who, together, implemented and standardized a variety of new operational systems, policies, and procedures.

Erin describes her tenure as Executive Director as, “a challenging, but incredibly rewarding experience.

The Visalia Fox is the cultural cornerstone of Downtown Visalia, and an invaluable asset to the region. I’m grateful to have been entrusted with the responsibility and privilege of lead-

ing such an outstanding organization within such a vibrant and supportive community.”

Erin also served on the Advisory Committee for the El Diamante Media Arts Academy, and as a Review Panelist for the Visalia Mural Committee.

She was a member of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Visalia, and Networking for Women, and volunteered with the Arts Consortium.

To ensure stability during the transition and continuity of the organization’s successful trajectory, longtime Visalia Fox employee Kent Stahl has been appointed Interim Director.

Over the next several months, a Transitional Oversight Committee will be conducting a search for the new Executive Director of the Visalia Fox Theatre. More information regarding the Executive Director position will be available soon at www.foxvisalia.org.

Migrant Journalism Project enters year four TULARE COUNTY OFFICE OF ED. The Migrant Education Region VIII Journalism Project, which began in the fall of 2015 and unveiled its first newspaper called The Migrant Voice in February 2016, is preparing to publish five new editions this spring. The editions will feature the work of Migrant students in 13 Tulare and Kings county school districts. Migrant programs in Visalia Unified and Porterville Unified are also preparing similar publications.

To prepare for the launch of their

newspapers, students from throughout the county have been busy participating in field trips, interviewing adults, and photographing and writing about their experiences for editions that will include articles on a variety of careers in science and technology, including robotics and agricultural applications. Some students visited University of California campuses at Davis and Merced to interview scientists, while others toured Garner Holt Productions to learn about animatronics used in movies and theme parks.

The project, now in its fourth year, was created as an English language development tool. Through the process of interviewing people, the Migrant students gain confidence in their abilities to research, speak, write, and communicate their stories.

The Migrant Journalism Project was envisioned by Migrant Education administrators and instructional leaders from TCOE’s Educational Resource Services (ERS). Migrant Education Program Administrator Tony Velásquez says that the project was designed to assist students in transitioning from

being English learners to proficient in the English language. Along with ERS staff, Migrant administrators also benefited from working with the language development specialists from Loyola Marymount University’s Center for Equity for English Learners.

To see past copies of The Migrant Voice and chronicle the development of this state-recognized program, visit tcoe.org/MigrantVoice. For more information, call Tony Velásquez at (559) 651-3035.

COS Training Resource Center to offer training for social media marketing STAFF REPORTS The COS Training Resource Center is offering two upcoming classes which are designed to help businesses and non-profit agencies take their social media to the next level by growing their online profile, engaging more customers and clients, reach their marketing goals and analyze data to determine strategy success.

The first class “Advanced Social Media for Non-Profits” will be May 10, 2019 9:00 – 4:00 pm and is $119. This class is open to anyone but it is specifically geared for non-profits who are already working on their social media and want to improve their reach.

The 2nd Class is Advanced Social Media for Business Boot camp and will take place June 14, 2019, 9:00 – 4:00 pm and is $249. This training will be a more advanced deep dive into the tools and strategies that will help companies grow their online profile, engage more customers on a personal level, develop and reach marketing goals and then develop and analyze data to determine strategy success. This class is novel in that it will include an additional 45 minute individual follow-up session which will allow companies to work one on one with a trainer to zone in on their organizations specific goals, issues and questions.

The instructor, Mason Stewart, brings a wealth of real-world and upto-date information from his experience as an Account executive for a major advertising company in Fresno where he successfully managed many high profile, campaigns for multi-million dollar clients. While receiving his MBA from Cal State Fresno he served

in the marketing department and was responsible for developing the “Dogpound” media presence and other successful marketing promotions which increased attendance and fan support.

The Training Resource Center’s goal is to provide valuable training to Tulare and Kings county businesses, which propelled them to offer this class. This class is more advanced than the previously offered “Social Media Boot Camp for Business”. It will provide time in class to review, critique, and revise each participant’s current social media presence. The class will cover how to better connect with the proper audience, how to grow your presence, content and posting, strategies for engagement, targeting, analytics and more. Students have commented that the “course was beneficial to my online business presence.” and that the class was “definitely helpful!

Thank you for the tips and tricks to starting and maintaining smart, relevant, and useful social media sites!”

For more information on the class call Rose Lacey at 559 688-3130 or to register, please visit our website at https:// costrainingcenter.com/ College of the Sequoias Community College District is a two-year California community college offering educational and career technical programs for the residents of its district in Tulare and Kings Counties. In addition to the campus in Visalia, COS operates a full-service center in Hanford that is home to the college’s police and fire academies. COS also opened its Tulare College Center in January 2013. It is a full-service college center and the home of COS’ agriculture and other programs. For more information about COS, please visit our website.

Valley Voice 2 May, 2019

Calendar

May 1 - May 31: Teresa Getty Exhibition Opening Reception at Arts Visalia Friday, May 3rd from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Gallery Hours: Noon-5:30 p.m., Wednesdays-Saturdays. Arts Visalia Visual Art Center 214 E. Oak Ave. Contact Janelle Howard, Gallery Director. 559739-0905, artsvisalia@sbcglobal.net May 2: Tulare County Youth Orchestras Concert on the Visalia Fox Theatre stage at 7:30 p.m. Free event. For more info, visit foxvisalia.org.

May 2-4: Great Western Fan Festival at the Visalia Convention Center, Thousands of gospel music fans from across the United States and Canada will soon be headed to Visalia for this “Gospelpalooza Gathering.” “classic” gospel music sounds with the “toe-tappin’ melodies that fills everyone’s heart with joy and happiness.” See award winning artists such as “The Hoppers,” “the Booth Brothers,” “Liberty Quartet,” “Ernie Haase & Signature Sound” Ticket information go to www.iTickets. com or call 1-800-965-9324 For more information visit www.fanfestivals.com May 3: An Evening at the Derby Assistance League of Visalia. Annual fundraiser at Koetsier Ranch 8230 Ave 272, Visalia. All proceeds from the event benefit the League’s five children’s programs. “Horse racing” at 6:30. Dinner is prepared by Koetsier Ranch chefs at 7:30. 100 silent auction items and a drawing for our Disney raffle. Info on our website -- www.assistanceleague. org/visalia – or 559-737-1907.

May 3: Hands in the Community’s 6th annual Golf Tournament Ridge Creek Golf Course in Dinuba to benefit local first responder teams.

Sign ups, sponsorships and additional info available at www.hnconline.org, or call 559-625-3822.

May 3: 6th Annual Hands in the Community Golf Tournament Hands in the Community (HNC) announces its 6th Annual Golf Tournament at the Ridge Creek Golf Course in Dinuba, California. This year, in addition to regular corporate sponsorships, HNC is offering the community the opportunity to sponsor local First Responder teams as a special “Thank you” for all they do for us on a daily basis. information, sign-up forms and Sponsorship Opportunities forms are available at www.hnconline.org OR contact HNC at 559-625-3822.

May 4: Cinco de Mayo Dance Celebrate Cinco De Mayo with the band Groove City, 8:00pm – 11:00pm.

Lamp Liter Inn, 3300 W Mineral King Ave, Visalia, Drink Specials. $5 cover at the door. Information call David Ledger 559-682-9990 May 4 – James Garner’s Tribute to Johnny Cash

Fox Theatre in Visalia at 7:30 p.m., presented by Blue Shadows. Tickets are $24-$46 at ticketfly.com.

May 4: Stephen Ministry Introductory Workshop Visalia United Methodist Church in Visalia on Akers and Caldwell, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m, Registration begins 8:00 a.m. Workshop is an excellent opportunity for church leaders and other members to learn about the Stephen Series, a ministry system that equips and mobilizes laypeople for effective caring ministry. Featured will be “Ministering to Those Experiencing Grief” and “How to Care in a Distinctively Christian Way.” $15 per person

9 or $50 for a group of four. Info, (314) 428-2600. Or register online at www. stephenministry.org/workshop.

May 4:Gadabout Meeting 10:00 AM Visalia Senior Center 310 N. Locust May 4: 1st Saturday in Three Rivers Arts Consortium presents tour 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Art studios, restaurants and merchants open their doors and invite all for a town-wide celebration. Go to the Three Rivers Historical Museum, 42268 Sierra Hwy. for a map of participating venues. For more info, visit 1stsaturdaytr.com or call 559-561-3463.

May 4,5: The Three Musketeers” at COS College of the Sequoias presents “The Three Musketeers” swashbuckling tale of heroism, treachery and honor at the COS Theatre, 915 S. Mooney, Visalia. Go to Facebook: The Three Musketeers at COS Theatre, May 3 & 4 at 7:30 p.m..May 5 at 1 p.m.

May 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 & 18: Sing Off: An Original Musical” in Tulare 72 past and present Encore Kids will put on a Sing-Off competition where the audience can see how their votes compare with the judges. Plus a preshow of adult performers singing selections from “Mama Mia!” 7:30 or Sunday matinees May 5 & 12 at 2 p.m.

Encore Theatre, 324 South N St., Tulare.

559 686-1300 or www.encoretulare.org May 4: 1st Saturday in Three Rivers Three Rivers invites you to visit artist studios and artists at work from 115. Pick up a map at the Three Rivers Historical Museum, 42268 Sierra Dr. (Highway 198) or the Arts Center, 41673 North Fork Dr. Free. www.1stsaturdaytr.com May 4: Airport Appreciation Day Public gets a peek at unique aircraft, plus bounce houses, music, craft and local food vendors and taco eating contest. Aircraft rides for a donation. Visalia Municipal Airport, 9501 W. Airport Dr., Visalia. Opens at 8 a.m. for veterans. 10-4 for general public. https://www.facebook.com/ events/2400919813271871/ May 4:Cinco de Mayo celebration at Zumwalt Park 400 E. Tulare Ave. in Tulare is from 3-9:30 p.m. Live bands, contests, kids games, pinatas beer garden and food. www.facebook.com/TheFamilyHealthCareNetwork20thAnnualCincodeMayoFiesta May 4: Dirty Cello A toe-tapping group playing blues, bluegrass and rock, performs at 7:30 p.m. at the Lindsay Community Theater, 190 N. Elmwood. 559 284-2223 or www.lindsaycommunitytheater.com May 4: Special showing of Star Wars “Return of the Jedi” 7 p.m. at the Hanford Fox Theatre, 326 N. Irwin. Tickets are only available at DJ’s Collectible Shoppe, 214 N. Irwin. www.facebook.com/DJ’sCollectibleShoppeAfterPartyattheFox May 5: Cinco de Mayo en la Plaza Open 12:30-4:30 at Garden Street Plaza, at Main Street in Visalia. Folklorico dancing, mariachi music, children’s activities, Mexican food and drink. www.facebook.com/CincodeMayoenlaPlaza May 5: The Sierra Vocal Arts Ensemble Spring concert at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 344 E. Morton, Porterville. 559 804-7995 or http://www.enjoysouthvalley.com/ events/159118/sierra-vocal-arts-enesemble-annual-spring-concert

May 6: Exeter Lions Club Brewfest Tickets for the 22nd annual Brewfest are now available from Lions Club members. Event will be from 2:00 6:00 pm at the Exeter Veteran’s Memorial Building located at 324 N. Kaweah Ave. Exeter CA 93221. For tickets and more information visit www.ExeterLions.org and https://www.facebook. com/exeterlions/ May 5: Micari’s Cinco de Mayo Paint Event Candidate for Tulare County Board of Supervisor District 1 Larry Micari wants to invite you to a painting event at his home 19423 Ave. 300, Exeter. Attendees can take a tutorial with Artist Loren Miller, socialize with all you can eat food and drinks, or donate to the campaign/event. You can register online or contact Beth for tickets or questions. Sponsorships range from $150-500, and “Spectator” tickets are available for $25, while “Artist” tickets include a painting tutorial for $75. 559799-3654, www.micari4supervisor@ com May 5: LGBTQ Cultural Competency Seminar Sponsored by Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights advocacy organization, in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Visalia and St. Paul Episcopal Church - Visalia, 1PM-3PM at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 120 N. Hall St., Visalia. Sminar will be a welcoming opportunity to learn best practices for interacting respectfully with the LGBTQ community and to ask about the key priorities and current issues facing the LGBTQ community.

Contact, info@uuvisalia.org.

May 8: 11th Annual Zumba Drive!

Come Dance Away Hunger with us for just $10.00 per person! Join us for a 90 minute Zumba class taught by local Zumba Instructors and dance to support life change at Visalia Rescue Mission!

Doors open @ 6pm, Zumba starts at @ 6:30pm. Info Brandy Amaro 740-4178 ext. 210 vrmhope.org May 9th: Annual Agua Celebration AGUA Coalition is hosting its annual Celebration at the Orosi Memorial Hall from 5:30-8:00 pm during National Drinking Water Week, and will be the culmination of a week of educational events on access to safe drinking water in the San Joaquin Valley. Food, music, and a program recognizing the work of AGUA has accomplished in the last 13 years. For more information or to RSVP please call Visalia Office: 559-7330219 May 9: Fruit & Veggie Fest n Dinuba A community event from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Roosevelt Park, 1390 E. Elizabeth Way. Family Healthcare Network will be on hand to provide health screenings for blood pressure, glucose, and hemoglobin. Raffle prizes, cookbooks, and live music. Sponsored by the The Tulare County Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention program May 10: Tulare Chamber of Commerce State of the City Luncheon Mayor Jose Sigala will present the State of the City Address at Edison Energy Education Center from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The State of the City is an informative luncheon that provides community members with an opportunity to hear about city projects and goals.

In addition Tulare County Supervisor Pete Vander Poel III will present the state of the County and State Legislative updates will be presented by Senator Shannon Grove and Assembly

Member Devon Mathis. Advance reservations for the lunch are required.

Please call the Chamber 686-1547 or www.tularechamber.org May 10: Corcoran Farmers and Artisans Market Fresh produce and Food booths, Hand crafted Items, Beer and Wine garden and Entertainment 5:00 – 9:00. Andrew Jay Magnuson Band. Next to Christmas Tree Park. Info 992-4514 May 11: Downtown Visalia Ag Fest We’re bringing Ag To Main Street Visalia! We want to bring the foundation of the Central Valley into the heart of our city! This family friendly event will showcase the importance and relevance of our Valley’s agriculture while educating people and having fun while doing it! Outside Food Vendors or Merchants if you would like to be a part of this event, please call DTV at: 732-7737 May 11: Exeter’s 16th Annual Garden Walk Exeter Chamber of Commerce Presents “Full Bloom 2018” 9:00 – 2:00. Visitors are invited to explore beautiful and unique private gardens in and around the Exeter area. Be sure and take time to enjoy some refreshments hosted

by Exeter’s 2012 Business of the Year, By the Water Tower Antiques. Tickets $20.00 in advance, available in Exeter at the Exeter Chamber of Commerce and By the Water Tower Antiques. $25 the day of the event at By the Water Tower Antiques.

May 11 & 12: 66th Annual Woodlake Lions Rodeo and Parade Woodlake. Visit woodlakelionsclub. com for all the details.

May 18: ‘Way 2 Fierce’ Visalia Charter Independent Study Students will perform dance, drama and vocals at LJ Williams Theater Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $7 each and are available at both campuses, 1821 W. Meadow Lane, near College of the Sequoias, and 649 S. County Center, at the former Brandman University building. For information, call VCIS at 735-8055 or visit www.vciseagles.org.

May 20: Larry Micari for Supervisor District 1 Meet & Greet at China’s Ally, Lindsay Candidate Larry Micari for Tulare County Board of Supervisor District 1 would like to invite you to an opportunity to personally get to know him and enjoy an evening of food and fellowship. The event will be located at China’s Ally at 170 N. Sweetbriar Avenue, Lindsay from 5:00-8:00pm. There is no charge to attend the event however, donations are greatly appreciated. You may RSVP to Jolena Cristan at 559-3102040 or register online www.micari4supervisor@com.

May 21: Mark Arax launches latest book at League of Women Voters of Tulare Co. Annual Meeting Doors open 11:30am at The Depot, 207 E. Oak Ave., in Visalia. The public is invited to hear acclaimed author and journalist Mark Arax talk about the Valley’s most pressing concern: water and his new book , “Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust across California,” Signed Books will be available for purchase.

Reservations are by check received by May 14, $25 payable to LWVTC. Indicate lunch preference: pork, fish, chicken or vegetarian. Mail to LWVTC, P.O. Box 3011, Visalia, CA 93278. Info phoebet8@ att.net.

May 22: The Wizard of Oz The Fox Theatre in Visalia 6:30 p.m. for the month’s Way Back Wednesdays..

Tickets $5 at ticketfly.com. The first 100 guests will receive a free popcorn.

2 May, 2019 Valley Voice

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4Creeks Creative hires Fresno sports executive and ad expert Jeremy Schultz STAFF REPORTS 4Creeks Creative (4CC) has expanded its capacity and services through the strategic hire of longtime Sports and Marketing executive, Jeremy Schultz.

Schultz, the former Assistant GM for the Fresno Football Club and General Manager/owner of Fresno Fuego has joined forces with the growing marketing and advertising agency to offer greater expertise in their advertising and sports entertainment marketing services.

Schultz has been working in the sports management and advertising industry for over 20 years serving as the GM of the Fresno Fuego, assisting in the development and management of professional soccer team, Fresno Football Club and being the founder and president of South Valley United Soccer Club.

“I’ve always worn a lot of hats in my past positions, but my main point of focus has always been revenue generation. I love connecting community partners and building synergies that solidify advertising opportunities that make sense for their business” Schultz said.

Jeremy’s prior experience working to connect professional sports and entertainment businesses with community partners and businesses make him a unique and vital asset to 4CC’s clientele and the larger business community.

Jeremy has led his organizations to prestigious awards including: Organization of the Year, Franchise of the Year and the Marketing Excellence Award.

In addition, Jeremy has also helped more than 60 players sign professional contracts.

With the addition of Schultz, 4CC will offer a new mix of advertising opportunities with some of the biggest sports and entertainment entities in the Valley ranging from grass roots efforts to professional sporting teams.

“Jeremy has been a foundational piece of the sports & entertainment landscape in Central California for the last 20 years. We are thrilled that we’ll be able to offer his experience to our clients and that we’ll be able to bolster his efforts in a new and expanded way,” Chief Marketing Officer, Eric Riley said. “With Jeremy on board, 4CC will now provide some exciting new platforms for our clients to connect with their audience and the greater community across Central California.”

“I had been around 4Creeks Creative and was really intrigued by the culture here. When I moved back to Visalia this past July, I was ready to diversify my portfolio and make a shift in my career. I knew 4CC was the perfect place to build a new and expanded

platform that brings a wide variety of professional sporting agencies, businesses, and the community together.”

Schultz said. “It’s an exciting time to be a part of 4Creeks Creative and to help build the vision for making our clients, the agencies we represent, and our communities rise together.”

4CC is a full-service marketing agency that helps your brand connect to the right audience at the right time through advertising, marketing and creative production. With multiple avenues to communicate with your customers, we exist to help your brand gain the recognition it deserves and the outcomes you have always hoped for.

Our services include: Advertising Sales, Advertising Placement, Brand Development, Web Design, Photography, Videography, Social Media Management and Graphic Design.

At 4CC, we believe in partnering with you to make your marketing stand out.

We’ll help you understand and feel confident in creating meaningful connections with current and future customers. 4CC is located in Visalia, CA with offices in Fresno, Sacramento and San Luis Obispo. For more information on our services visit 4cc.co or email info@4cc.co

Air Supply to perform at Eagle Mountain Casino STAFF REPORTS On Saturday June 8, Eagle Mountain Casino will proudly welcome back Air Supply live in concert at the Event Center at 8pm. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at www. eaglemtncasino.com or in the Mountain Memories Gift Shop 800-903-3353 for $35, $40 and $45.

Graham Russell & Russell Hitchcock met on May 12, 1975, the first day of rehearsals for “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Sydney, Australia; they became instant friends with their common love for The Beatles and, of course, singing.

They made a single in one afternoon and it shot to number one on the national charts. Air Supply was born! That same year, they opened for Rod Stewart across Australia and then throughout the U.S. and Canada playing all of the famous huge venues before Rod would take the stage. They found new fans, but did not break the

U.S. market.

Back in Australia they had to start again and made a record called Life Support. On this record were some treasures of songs, including “Lost in Love” which went Top 10 in Australia and somehow found its way to music industry executive Clive Davis in New York.

Clive immediately signed Air Supply to Arista Records and in 1980, “Lost in Love” became the fastest selling single in the world, leaping to the top of all of the charts. Now Air Supply was on their way. The second single was “All Out of Love,” and that went up the charts even quicker.

Seven top-five singles later, Air Supply at that time had equaled The Beatles’ run of consecutive top five singles. The albums Lost in Love, The One That You Love, Now & Forever, and The Greatest Hits sold in excess of 20 million copies. “Lost in Love” was named Song of the Year in 1980, and, with the

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other singles, sold more than 10 million copies.

The trademark sound of Russell Hitchcock’s soaring tenor voice and Graham Russell’s simple yet majestic songs created a unique sound that would forever be known as Air Supply.

However, it is the live shows that always hold audience’s captive around the world. They were the first Western group to tour China, Taiwan, and countless other countries that before would not allow pop music across their borders. In 1983 they recorded “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All”

by Jim Steinman which solidified the group as a permanent force in modern music. This song was released on The Greatest Hits album which soared past 7 million copies.

“Lost in Love”, “All Out of Love”, “The One That You Love”, “Sweet Dreams”, and “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All” have each achieved multi-million plays on the radio.

In 1989, they recorded “The Earth Is” album selling over a million copies outside of the U.S. This album was followed by “The Vanishing Race” CD and, with the singles “Goodbye” and “It’s Never Too Late”, again saw multi-platinum success. The following albums, “News from Nowhere”, “Yours Truly”, and “Across the Concrete Sky” all gave their second greatest hits album multi-platinum status as they traveled the world each and every year.

Don’t miss your opportunity to see Air Supply live in concert on Saturday June 8 at 8pm. Tickets are available now and start at just $35. You can purchase your tickets online at www.eaglemtncasino.com or in the Mountain Memories Gift Shop at 800.903.3353.

Eagle Mountain Casino is an 18+ full service casino and is owned and operated by the Tule River Tribe. It features 1200 slot machines and 11 table games. Eagle Mountain Casino is a short drive from Bakersfield or Visalia.

Concert

ter, in a show that included Tara Cash recalling memories of her father and sharing family photos.

The event marked the 50th anniversary of Cash’s album “At Folsom Prison”.

continued from 7 “Mom told us to go pick out a tape for the car, for our Walkmen,” he said.

“Something in my brain just clicked.

The songs had a beginning, a middle and an end.”

Came from Cotton

Like his hero Cash, Garner grew up on the family cotton farm, and that commonality is in large part responsible for Garner’s obsession with the Man in Black’s music.

“A lot of his songs have an agrarian theme,” Garner said. “It resonated with me.”

While he missed seeing Cash when he performed in Hanford, Garner eventually caught up with him, meeting Cash years later backstage at Fresno’s Tower Theater.

He calls shaking his hero’s hand “one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had.”

His involvement with the Cash family continued last year when Garner and his band performed with Tara Cash, Johnny Cash’s youngest daugh-

Boom-Chicka-Boom

When he comes to Visalia on May 4, Garner will be joined on stage by the Boom-Chicka-Boom Band, his longtime collaborators.

Band members include Rick Duncan on bass, Nick Auriemmo on drums and Denny Colleret on guitar.

Garner and the band, who have released three albums of Cash’s music, take their approach to the tribute very earnestly, making an effort to be authentic in their representation.

“We take the music very seriously,” Garner said. “If you’re a superfan of Johnny Cash, you’ll notice--I’ll call them Easter eggs, like the different style of leads; our drummer plays the same drums, our bass player plays the same bass.”

Tickets for Garner’s Tribute to Johnny Cash start at $24, and are available at foxvisalia.org.

Valley Voice 2 May, 2019

PHELPS

continued from 1 Postlewaite and John Beck, and Tulare Mayor Jose Sigala.

“I think he’s going to be an excellent candidate,” said Sigala, who ran for the District 26 seat against Mathis in 2018. “We all want to have leadership we can trust.”

For Postlewaite, who also believes Mathis is an ineffectual politician, his support for Phelps means crossing party lines.

“When things are almost equal, I vote Republican,” Postlewaite said.

“Things aren’t equal in this race.”

TLHCD’s Gutierrez called Phelps a “bright mind”, and lauded him for his wide participation in Tulare civics.

“He cares about the people,” she said.

Phelps, who has already added $50,000 to his campaign’s war chest, realizes he faces an uphill climb to unseat the Republican incumbent in a heavily red area of California. Yet, he believes the 26th District is evolving in its political outlook, pointing to recent gains in support for Democratic candidates.

“It’s a tough district, but things

NUNLEY

continued from 1 recusing himself from voting on the issue, the vote to reject the claim was a unanimous 3-0.

“The ball is in his court,” said Mayor Jose Sigala, who voted to reject Nunley’s claim.

Sigala also said there are concerns about limiting Nunley’s future communication with staff at city hall, as well as his continuing presence on the council. “(Councilman) Denis Mederos and I spoke out about him staying on council,” Sigala said, “how we can limit (Nunley’s) contact with staff.”

“He has a right to make a claim,” Mederos said. “And, the city has a right to defend itself.”

Now that Nunley appears poised to sue the city, Sigala says there are issues about how information Nunley receives from staff at city hall will be used in future litigation.

“We’ve called on our city attorney to look into how we can limit his contact with staff,” Sigala said, addressing Nunley’s role as both a council member and a private businessman with dealings with the city. “We need to figure out those questions.”

Sigala expressed concern about how information Nunley requests from staff will be used.

“We have some issues with communication,” Sigala said. “Emails he’s sending to the city, is he going to use those against us?”

Visalia attorney Mike Lampe--who is currently challenging Nunley’s busi-

11 are changing,” he said.

Sigala--who points to Phelps’ leadership role in challenging the former “corrupt” leadership of the TLHCD as a reason for his support--says the youngster can take the race by being a good communicator.

“My advice for Drew is get out there and talk to people,” Sigala said.

Alberto Aguilar, a former TLHCD Bond Oversight Committee member who also played a key role in changing the hospital district’s leadership, is also backing Phelps. Assemblyman Mathis, Aguilar said, could have saved the TLHCD from bankruptcy but refused to act.

“I definitely believe we need a change. (Mathis) hasn’t done what he promised to do,” Aguilar said. “I’m doing more than voting for Drew. I’m supporting him all the way.”

Phelps says the key issues he hopes to address in the Assembly include water regulation, health care access and the creation of new economic opportunities for District 26.

Phelps hopes to not only ensure adequate water for agriculture, but also see to it residents have access to “clean, safe water.” He also wants to take decisions about California’s wa-

ness practices with regard to the city “This, in my opinion, is an examin an ongoing lawsuit and who made ple of Mr. Nunley initially ‘shooting the report on Nunley’s behavior pub- from the hip’ with a response he does lic when he received it as part of a pub- not know to be true,” Rowley wrote. lic records request--has called for Nun- “Thereafter, when he realizes he did ley to resign. not state the truth, he admits what he According to the Rowley report, said was wrong. Such behavior, in my many of the claims regarding Nun- assessment, demonstrates a lack of ley’s inappropriate behavior toward commitment to telling the truth.” staff members appear to be substanIn contrast, Rowley’s report found tiated. Among its findings, the report that members of the city’s staff were claims Nunley attempted to intimi- credible in their testimony. date former city managers Joe Carlini “Where applicable, their verbal reand Willard Epps, both of whom re- ports were consistent with prior statefused to fire members of the city staff ments reported by themselves and demanded by Nunley. others and, in some cases, supported Nunley was also rude, conde- by documentation that was created at scending and intimidating to mem- the time of the alleged event,” Rowley bers of the staff at city hall, the report wrote. “It should also be noted that said, and threatened to have some the investigation did not result in the staff members fired. The report also receipt of any credible evidence that says Nunley repeatedly threatened any of the other city staff had any reato sue both individual staff members son or motive to fabricate what they and the city itself. were saying.”

According to Rowley’s report, According to the report, several there were sevof the city’s build[Nunley] has a right eral instances ing inspectors feel where “Mr. Nunley to make a claim. And, that Nunley was demonstrated a them the city has a right to harassing very good memoand making it difdefend itself. ry” yet his account ficult to complete of interactions inspections of Dennis Mederos, Vice-Mayor of with city staff did his construction not match other Tulare projects, allegaevidence, includtions the report ing testimony from staff. Nunley also sustains. declined to turn over video evidence The inspectors also reported to he said is in his possession and which Rowley they believed Nunley was uswould have corroborated his claims of ing his position on the city council harassment by city staff. Nunley also to ignore city building regulations. apparently changed his retelling of While the report makes no conclusion events after presented with documen- about Nunley allegedly abusing his tation, Rowley reported. power as an elected official, it does say

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“My focus is going to be that the final decisions are coming back to the legislature,” he said. “When it’s a vote, the people can come back and do something about it.”

In terms of economic development, Phelps also wants to “get away from the one-sizefits-all” approach. Drew Phelps. Tony Maldonado/Valley Voice He believes tax inon getting a four-year college open in centives will help attract more business and industry the 26th District. That might also help to the 26th District, and that the state his aim of improving health care, esalso needs to do more to protect small pecially in the area of mental health, by attracting more doctors and medibusinesses in rural areas.

“What works in Los Angeles or San cal professionals to the area.

Still, Phelps and his supporters reFrancisco doesn’t necessarily work alize they have a lot of work to do. here,” he said.

“It’s a challenge,” said Sigala. “It’s a Also in the area of economic opbig district.” portunity, Phelps said he’d like to work

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Nunley admitted being upset by the inspection requirements.

“Based on his admission, and the relative credibility of the witnesses, I find that the weight of the credible evidence supports the allegation that on this occasion Mr. Nunley went off about how he was being harassed, and that he was going to sue Mr. Karlie and the city for harassment and questioned the need for two inspectors, how long they had been building inspectors, etc.,” Rowley wrote.

The city began assigning more than a single inspector for projects involving Nunley due to concerns about Nunley’s behavior, according to testimony contained in the report. The city has since hired an independent inspection firm to review Nunley’s projects, spending $28,000 on inspections of Councilman Nunley’s projects during February and March. According to Lampe, it appears Nunley has not reimbursed the city for either the cost of independent building inspectors or the $20,000 cost of the investigation into allegations against him.

“It has become crystal clear that Councilman Nunley routinely acts to better himself at the expense of Tulare’s citizens,” Lampe said in a statement released along with the Rowley report. “It is equally clear that the city council will need to engage independent legal counsel for the purpose of recovering tax dollars expended solely as a result of Councilman Nunley’s wrongful conduct and insuring that his intimidation of staff comes to an immediate halt.”

Read the full report online at ourvalleyvoice.com.

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REAL ID outreach event to be held at Fresno Airport STAFF REPORTS The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is partnering with Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) to share information and answer questions from travelers about REAL ID driver licenses and identification cards. DMV representatives will staff an information only booth in the airport’s central lobby area on Friday, April 19, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and on May 17, June 21, July 19 and

COLLEGE continued from 1

to help support efforts on their campuses,” says Perez. SEA funds allow underprivileged students to get the help they need.

Jacqui Irwin, the Assemblymember for California’s 44th Assembly District, authored and championed the bill on the assembly floor.

“Education is the key to equipping Californians with the skills necessary to succeed in our rapidly changing world. This bill addresses a flaw in our education system that led to far too many individuals leaving higher education because their efforts were not

BLAIR

continued from 1 negotiated April 23 by Lozano Smith, legal counsel for Lemoore, and The Law Offices of Melo and Sarsfield, representing Blair. The agreement, negotiated in court, was then approved by Kings County Supreme Court Judge Kathy Cuiffini.

In exchange for Blair’s dropping her anti-SLAPP lawsuit, the city agreed to pay Melo and Sarsfield $38,000 in legal fees over the next 18 months.

The city was also ordered to lift the “restrictions set forth in the Censure and allow Respondent (Blair) to serve on committees and boards in her capacity as a City Council Member and to represent the City and Council at public functions in her official capacity on the same terms and condition as other City Council Members,” according to the agreement.

Blair was ordered in the agreement to “refrain from publicly making or adopting any negative comments about individual City employees or volunteers, including the City Manager.” Blair agreed to direct any criticism about individuals to the City Manager, who would then agendize her concerns to be discussed during closed session.

The agreement also made clear, though, that Blair is free to publicly criticize the city council, city departments, or the city government as a whole, consistent with her First Amendment rights.

In the spirit of transparency, the city of Lemoore revealed during the special session that it spent approximately $60,000 on Lozano Smith’s legal fees, bringing the total cost to the city to $100,000.

Lemoore Violates Terms within 24 Hours

In a case of déjà vu, the City of Lemoore violated the terms of the Release Agreement within 24 hours.

A similar situation happened January

August 16 during the same hours.

Beginning October 1, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security will require passengers to show a valid passport or other federally approved document, like a REAL ID driver license or identification card, to board flights within the United States.

“Fresno Yosemite International Airport is pleased to partner with the California DMV’s outreach efforts to inform air travelers about the REAL ID initiative,” said Director of Aviation

Kevin Meikle. “We encourage anyone with questions to visit with DMV representatives to review information about how to obtain a REAL ID federal compliant Driver License or Identification Card.”

“Together we hope to properly prepare Californians for the new federal ID requirements that take effect October 1, 2020,” said Acting DMV Director Kathleen Webb. “We encourage travelers to plan ahead.”

The monthly outreach visits are

for informational purposes only. No applications for REAL ID driver licenses or identification cards will be accepted at the DMV information booth.

Note: If you choose to get a REAL ID driver license or identification card, you must go into a DMV field office and present original or certified documents proving your identity, Social Security number and California residency. For more information visit REALID. dmv.ca.gov.

reflected in progress towards a credential,” says Irwin.

Assemblymember Irwin serves on the Assembly Committee for Higher Education, where the bill began.

According to the California Legislative Information website, the bill was passed with all members either voting in favor of the bill or abstaining.

She believes in the importance of starting a college career in the right spot.

“Numerous peer-reviewed studies have found that being under-placed is a primary factor in a student’s decision to drop out of higher education,” says Irwin.

A November 2016 study conducted by the Public Policy Institute of Cali-

fornia stated that 80% of community college students enroll in one or more remedial courses and only 16% of those students complete a certificate program or earn an Associate’s degree in six years.

“AB 705 does not ban remedial courses,” says Irwin. “It changes how community colleges place students into the coursework that is appropriate for them and how student support resources are provided. The bill requires California community colleges to use the best of multiple measures, including high school grades, coursework, GPA, and assessment tests, when placing students into math, English, and ESL courses.”

National data cited in the bill

shows that 14% of students from low-income communities earn an Associate’s degree and only 13% earn a Bachelor’s degree.

The impact of this bill can be seen at Visalia’s College of the Sequoias.

Remedial classes like English 251 and 261 have been offered in the past, but the administration is choosing to not offer those classes next fall in favor of more mainstream English classes.

Elementary-level algebra classes are disappearing as well.

The Mathematics department is instead offering more support for existing classes.

31 after a hearing involving this same case where Lemoore and Blair agreed not discuss the litigation with the press or on social media.

Nine minutes after the January hearing Lemoore posted details about the case on the city’s website.

Unlike the January incident, violating the current court sanctioned Release Agreement carries a $1000 fine – paid directly to Blair. The city will also have to pay Melo and Sarsfield’s legal fees if they decide to file a complaint against the city.

The violation to the Release Agreement happened April 26, the day after the city council approved the settlement. Police Chief Derrell Smith issued a statement to the Lemoore Leader implying the settlement was a legal victory for the city.

In his statement to the Leader he wrote, “Lemoore Council Member Blair’s inability to control her own public speech and follow the lawful practices and procedures available to her as a member of the Lemoore City Council unfortunately brought us here, where we are today. Yesterday, the Lemoore City Council approved a settlement with Council Member Blair. While it is disappointing that a city would ever be put in such a position to have to force honor, professionalism and a willingness to abide by the City’s administrative and procedural processes onto an elected official of local government, the City of Lemoore was put in that untenable situation…I remain hopeful that it (the release agreement) will continue, to force professionalism and compliance with the City’s administrative processes onto the elected official, who has shown that she would not otherwise feel so restrained.”

Under condition #11 of the Release Agreement it states “the Parties agree to issue the Joint Statement attached hereto as Exhibit A following execution of this agreement and approval of the Court. No other comments regarding this litigation shall be made except as required by law.”

When reached for comment, Mar-

Council Member Holly Blair commenting during the special session. Gary Feinstein/Courtesy

guerite Melo, Blair’s attorney, indicated that she had just learned of Chief Smith’s statement, but had no further comment at this time.

Discontent among the residents

During public comment residents expressed their outrage at the settlement.

Brian Castodio, a long-time business owner in Lemoore, said the only winners in this case were the lawyers.

He criticized the legal advice of Lozano Smith and criticized the council for following it. He said that if the money were coming out of the council’s pocket everyone would have had a different attitude.

Susie Banuelos reminded the city council why they censured Blair in the first place and implored them to not approve the settlement. “I don’t think that kowtowing to lies, manipulation, and false characterizations of you and all of us, of our police chief, city manager, is the way to go.”

“You are paying her legal fees to slander and bad mouth all of us and wreck our town’s reputation,” she said.

Banuelos asked that at a minimum to please keep in place

Blair’s censure.

Connie Willashom said, “I have no words about how disappointed I am…and Ms. Blair sitting there smirking is really something.”

Council members were unable to respond because of the condition not to publicly discuss the litigation.

Council Member Stuart Lyons did encourage the disgruntled residents to read the document carefully, implying that the settlement was not a complete win by Blair.

Blair reiterated that all of the money awarded was to go to her lawyers.

That will change though If Police Chief Smith’s comments to the Lemoore Leader are found to be in violation of the settlement.

This is the second known instance that Lozano Smith has lost an anti-SLAPP suit. The law firm also represents the City of Greenfield and took the Monterey Weekly to court last August seeking a TRO that would prohibit the paper from publishing the law firm’s memos. The Monterey Weekly then filed an anti-SLAPP suit and prevailed.

Greenfield lost its case and the city had to pay the Weekly‘s attorney’s fees.

Valley Voice 2 May, 2019

LABOR

continued from 5 addition to wage and benefit boosts, the shortages have spurred “substantial investment” into research and development of advanced technology.

“While there are just some onfarm jobs that require a human touch and cannot be replaced by machines, technology can undoubtedly help fill some of the gaps created from the labor shortage,” Pereira said.

In addition, more farmers are turning to farm labor contractors to help them fill the ranks. The survey showed 61% of farmers have retained a farm labor contractor within the past five years, with the main motivation being to ensure there were enough people to do the work.

VALUES

continued from 6 show the greatest profitability of anything that is out there right now.”

Because of regulatory issues such as SGMA as well as the increasing employment costs, there has been a slight decrease in land sales in the past year in both the Central Valley and coastal counties.

“There has been quite a bit of consolidation in coastal areas. If you are looking at fresh berries or even winegrapes, it is generally the larger entities that dominate the market,” she said. “But, all of the crops grown there are labor-dependent, and that is hav-

LAWSUIT continued from 1

Gutierrez controversy allegedly dragged out to get loan funds

Greene is accused of drafting the resolution with the knowledge that the funding would be a way to repay his firm $500,000 in past due legal fees. Greene took part in efforts to deny Gutierrez a seat on the board so HCCA could execute the loan and repay the past due amount, the suit claims.

Although Gutierrez was elected to replace Kumar in a special recall election on July 11, 2017, certified on July 18, and sworn in July 25, Greene advised Wilbourn to refuse Gutierrez her seat on the board at a meeting on July 26.

At the time, Wilbourn said that an agenda item declaring her election had been placed on the agenda improperly.

“Because this was a special recall election, not a regular election, there is a question as to whether we have to certify this as a regular board agenda item — where it is on your agenda today is #2, as a chair announcement, it’s not in the body of the agenda,” Wilbourn said at the meeting.

Greene knew Gutierrez was likely to vote with Northcraft and board member Mike Jamaica to rescind the resolution, risking the $500,000 repayment, the suit claims.

“In instructing Wilbourn to refuse to seat Gutierrez as a Board member, Greene breached his fiduciary duty to the District by placing his own financial interests above the interests of the District and the general public,” the filing states.

Although Gutierrez had not been seated, she, Northcraft, and board member Mike Jamaica held board

13 Others mentioned difficulties with H-2A, including a lack of housing in some areas. Farmers who bring in people on H-2A visas must supply housing at no cost to the employees. Although there is heightened interest in the program, only 6% of surveyed farmers said they actually enrolled in it.

“Through the years, the H-2A program has proven inadequate for farms in California and across the nation,” Johansson said. “Farm Bureau will continue to work with Congress to create a secure, flexible, market-based immigration program that works better for both farmers and farm employees.”

Pereira said the solution must be comprehensive.

“Any type of action by Congress must respect the importance of agriculture’s experienced workforce, all while including a flexible and efficient

ag worker visa program,” Pereira said.

“We need to take care of individuals who are already here and provide for future flow. The diversity of agriculture makes it clear that any real, meaningful reform will need to be equally diverse in possibilities towards meeting both current and projected labor needs.”

Johansson said key elements of an improved agricultural visa program would include streamlining H-2A and modifying it so employees who hold visas can move among registered employers at will. He said immigration reform must also provide earned legal status for current California agricultural employees.

One anonymous survey participant described the additional stress employee shortages bring to family farmers and ranchers.

“Farming has become so difficult for smaller and entry farmers in California that my children see the problems, hard work and low profitability (and) they do not want to take over the farm as I had originally hoped and planned,” the farmer wrote.

A total of 1,071 farmers and ranchers responded to the survey.

In terms of the proportion of farmers reporting employee shortages, the 2019 results are similar to a CFBF survey in 2017, which showed 55% of farmers experiencing shortages.

A full survey report is available on the CFBF website at www.cfbf.com/ 2019survey.

(Kevin Hecteman is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. He may be contacted at khecteman@cfbf.com.)

ing an impact. Also, housing is a huge issue there and that will play into land values if it hasn’t already. And of course, water is a big issue there too.”

Though there are slightly fewer land sales in the Central Valley, there is increasing interest in properties that have dual sources of high-quality water.

Holmes, a senior appraiser for Edwards, Lien & Toso of Hilmar, said the story “is pretty much the same” across the state.

“There are willing buyers out there, but they are only interested in land that will have good water moving forward,” said Holmes, who also reported on the value of dairies.

“Economic conditions for dairies

have not been good for the past few years due to the cost of operations and low returns. The central and southern San Joaquin Valley are showing fairly stable, with the northern San Joaquin Valley having a slight decrease,” Holmes said.

Gatzman explained that there are three approaches used by appraisers to arrive at property values.

One is the sales-comparison approach, in which an appraiser looks at recent sales of similar orchards.

A second is the cost approach, in which the appraiser determines the underlying value of the land and what it would cost to develop an orchard to its current state. After deducting depreciation, a final value is determined.

The final method is the income approach, in which the appraiser comes up with an estimate of the property’s long-term income possibility and then applies a capitalization formula to arrive at the property value.

Although the increase in orchard plantings has been the trend during the past 10 years, that could change in the future, Gatzman said.

“There has been a lot of changes in crop dominance over the last 50 years, so there may be something that comes along that is better than nut crops in the next 10 to 20 years. I look forward to seeing it,” she said.

(Steve Adler is associate editor of Ag Alert. He may be contacted at sadler@cfbf.com.)

meetings through the summer that Greene contended were illegal.

During those meetings, they voted to terminate the district’s contracts with Greene and the Baker firm; Greene continued to act on the district’s behalf after those votes. The district also rescinded the loan resolution.

Later, Wilbourn informed Greene that she was resigning from the board effective at 12pm on August 23, 2017; the district’s board had a meeting scheduled the same day at 4pm. At this point, Gutierrez’ status had still not been resolved.

Wilbourn’s resignation letter, and notices from the district, were taped to the doors of Evolutions Fitness & Wellness Center.

Via email, Greene notified the board of her resignation less than an hour before the meeting. He also advised the board that Torrez would be unable to make the meeting — meaning the board would lack a quorum, and necessitating the cancellation of the meeting.

One problem for Greene, the suit alleges — there was a quorum.

With Wilbourn’s fresh resignation, and under Greene’s assertion that Gutierrez was not a board member, the only board members left would be Torrez, Northcraft, and Jamaica. Northcraft and Jamaica were both at Evolutions, creating a quorum.

Greene would later send a follow-up at 4pm stating that Wilbourn had actually meant to resign the next day, adding that “there is no quorum possible” because she could not attend the meeting.

According to separate court filings, Wilbourn would later tell investigators with the Tulare County District Attorney’s office that she had always meant to resign on the 23rd; later, she claimed that a private investigator working for HCCA had showed her a

text message from her phone stating she wished to delay her resignation.

She told investigators that she didn’t remember sending the text.

Greene’s claim that Wilbourn delayed her resignation is also the basis for the district’s fraud claim.

“On or about Thursday, October 5, 2017, I obtained copies of the bank statements and transactional records for the [Southern Inyo] District’s bank accounts. Upon analyzing the Bank Records, I noted several inconsistencies with certain reports and representations previously provided by HCCA and numerous transactions not authorized by the District Board,” the attorney, Ashley McDow, stated in a declaration at the time.

The opinion letter and the check

Although Gutierrez, Northcraft, and Jamaica had voted to rescind the loan resolution, Greene wrote an Opinion of Counsel Letter dated August 28, 2017. It served to assure Celtic Leasing that Benzeevi and HCCA were authorized to execute the loan on the district’s behalf.

It didn’t mention the trio’s vote to rescind the resolution giving HCCA those powers, the suit claims.

Three days later, the money was wired to HCCA, and on September 10, 2017, Baker Hostetler received a $499,727.93 check. On September 14, the firm received an additional $10,000 through a cashier’s check.

On September 29, Greene and Baker moved to terminate their relationship with HCCA. “…we must commence termination of our representation of you personally as well as our representation of HCCA, and all entities affiliated with you and HCCA,” a letter sent by Greene reads.

Days later, alarm bells rang out in Southern Inyo, according to prior Voice reporting.

Another Baker attorney would strike against HCCA in an emergency motion on October 11, acting on behalf of the Southern Inyo Healthcare District. She claimed that HCCA, which managed the Southern Inyo district’s hospital, had presented false financials and mixed funds between Southern Inyo and Tulare.

Could HCCA join the fray?

Even though some of the conduct at the center of the case revolves around HCCA, the Tulare district and HCCA have already executed a settlement agreement.

The only exceptions allowed are for legal malpractice claims that either party have against Baker Hostetler and its attorneys; as part of the agreement, each side agreed to assist the other if they brought a malpractice case.

HCCA recently — and successfully — petitioned a bankruptcy court judge to disqualify McDow from representing the Southern Inyo district, stating that during her time at Baker, she had performed legal work for HCCA, including work on the contract between the district and HCCA. McDow left Baker for a different firm in April 2018, but HCCA attorneys stated that she could not take positions adverse to HCCA after having represented them.

In that case, HCCA hired legal malpractice counsel, and says that it considers all options on the table.

“As to potential affirmative claims against Ms. McDow, Mr. Bruce Greene, and Baker Hostetler, my clients have suffered immense losses and prejudice and are evaluating their rights and available options,” Hagop T. Bedoyan, an attorney for HCCA, told the Voice.

14

VOICES & OPINIONS

2 May, 2019 Valley Voice

Kevin McCarthy’s fake news STEVE PENDLETON Wow! The Valley Voice’s April 18 edition pretty much amazed me. Here I am, a nobody, with a column on the same page as the writings of a veritable Prometheus of men, a US Representative no less. Who was I to appear in print with a man who occupies a position similar to many giants of American history?

Then I read Mr. McCarthy’s column.

My gut reaction was-we deserve what we get. With Mr. McCarthy, we get another in a series of men who reinforce the derision the rest of the country feels about the San Joaquin Valley. So what was it that the good Rep said that was so ridiculous? Let me focus on two.

He spent a good half of his space

on ridiculing the Democrats for being so fractious in the 100 days since they turned out many of his colleagues.

Well, maybe they do argue amongst each other. Has Mr. McCarthy never heard that dirty word, democracy? In a free society, that’s what you do.

You throw out different ideas. Maybe some are outlandish. Maybe others are original and workable. But they all need to be discussed. That’s one hell of a lot better than the lockstepping philosophy of the Big Bozo himself. By the way, I am not a Democrat. I haven’t voted for a winning candidate in 40 years, except one. My wife and I regretted that vote the day after the election.

The other statement concerns his defense of the so-called Republican health “plan”. You know,, the one which the Big Bozo has refused

to describe (except ‘it’ll be great’)until the next election. I wouldn’t buy a used car from him, much less vote for him-especially after seeing Mr. McCarthy’s “plan”.

Here’s the plan-greater choice and more affordable options. Sounds great-but the devil’s in the details.

What exactly is choice? Does it mean more plans out there, each of which is vying to see how much profit they can make? Shouldn’t the overriding principle of any health care solution be that no one should profit from another’s misfortune? Or does it mean you have more choice wiithin your plan? If you think that any private healthcare plan gives you real choice, think again. Every plan has a network.

If your choice is not in the plan’s network, get ready for sticker shock when

you get the bill.

Now, affordable also sounds laudable. But-not always. You can make a cheaper plan by doing one of two things. You can put a lifetime cap on benefits. So you maybe could get one open heart surgery, but if you need two, you are up the creek. Or they could up the deductible. That means you pay more out of pocket. Either way, you re paying far too much because you are also paying for the profits stockholders demand.

It seems to me both Republicans and Democrats would benifit by studying the many single-payer plans run by other indurialized countries, at far less cost than we now pay. What do you think of that, Mr. McCarthy?

Your comments from ourvalleyvoice.com

“ “

I hope that the role of Mr. Kumar in the financial disaster of the hospital will be investigated through this law suite and if he is found guilty of malfeasance, he should be appropriately punished. Currently he works in Visalia, including the Sequoia surgical center, carrying on his practice as if non of this ever happened. Justice for Mr Kumar!!

”

— david on Tulare hospital district sues former counsel

I think that more than what Robyn has learned as a mother and grandmother, her two terms as City Councilwoman and term as Mayor of Exeter have given her experience in the area of local government like no other candidate/incumbent has. And Robyn is a go-getter. It’s really because of her that the wonderful project along Belmont Avenue south of Visalia Road exists. When confronted with something that needs to be fixed, she jumps in, studies, talks to people, and makes a decision about whether it’s a worthy project. If so, she gets it done.

I fully support Robyn!

“

Keep in mind that the hecklers were escorted off the property by the police in the past.

CWC worked extensively with the community of East Porterville. That project connected approximately 750 properties with the capacity to connect over 1000 eligible properties. It was a much larger and more complex project. East Orosi has 106 connections serving 700 people.

A preliminary Engineering Report completed in June 2017 by QK Consultants estimated the total cost of all alternatives for this project to cost less than $2 million.

Additionally, East Orosi CSD board members are championing this consolidation and will continue to work closely with their rate payers and the State Water Board until this solution is achieved.

“

Quinn and residents Skip Athey and Mark Cole were heckling Dickerson.

”

I currently reside in Nunleys district. When Mr. Nunley started his campaign for council he made several promises. He ran on making Tulare the best and bringing business to Tulare. Mr. Nunley also wanted to make changes at City Hall that benefiting both the city and employees. I believed he had the citizens best interest. He has done nothing but cause harm to Tulare. Currently he is actively trying to bring a motion to the floor to fire the engineering, building and planning departments subbed out to large engineering firms. That is a huge loss of jobs and many families will be affected. Nunley was the first to purpose layoffs and he is the only counsel member that is allowed to treat employees with such disrespect and belittle them is such a way that causes unnecessary stress. Why? Because he is a counsel member or because he has wealth? That’s not fair to those employees who are harassed by this man daily. He tells people he has the power to fire staff and wants to eliminate departments. Who gives him the power to make such decisions that could hurt Tulare. I feel Nunley needs to step down. Tulare needs a new start free from controversy. I would vote to recall immediately

— Christina on Tulare is Copenhagen

”

”

I never talked to Ms. Dickerson that night. I talked with a hired security person. I asked for the reason for why I was being asked to leave. He said he wasn’t told. I asked to speak to the person that requested me to leave. The security guard left, returned, than infirmedvme that the person would neither say why or talk to me personally.

Whoever is telling you I talked w Ms. Dickerson is incorrect. And I again invite anyone that has a photoir a video of me in proximity of Ms. Dickerson to provide it.

I’m not saying that they are all perverts; however, birds of a feather.

Perhaps, they should go video tape each other.

— Joey on Manager of Hanford Carnegie Museum

”

Residents of any community in California should not be left without access to the basic human right of safe water.

— Ryan Jensen on Solution identified for East Orosi

Just imagine three grown men heckling her and trying to fight another.

“

If those numbers are close, this will cost $400,000 per home. Can someone please think this through a little bit?

— Saul Travers on Solution identified for East Orosi

”

— Valeri Barnes on Robyn Stearns Announces

“

“

So I looked on google earth and estimate about 75 households. Let’s call it 100 homes for the sake of easier math.

A similar project in East Porterville cost $65 million. This one might cost half that since it will serve fewer homes. Let’s say $40 million.

— Michael Quinn on Manager of Hanford Carnegie Museum

“

We need more people like you Mr. Oldenbourg. Thank you for speaking out. So many of us sit behind our mobile devices and speak our minds. But how does that really help the situation? More pressure needs to be put on city administration, the city attorney and council to do something about this man. People need to start speaking up in public! Look at how those that spoke out for Chief Hensley made a difference!

— Larry on Tulare is Copenhagen

“

” ”

The ones that need to grow up and have a life are the dogs. Domesticated animals being kept in poor conditions in small kennels/cages living out their lives is no life at all, especially for the household pet the DOG. Is this the kind of life for MANS BEST FRIEND? In my opinion all breeders seem to be about profit and due to over population for whatever the various reasons are I think there should be limits on the amount each breeder CAN breed.

— Stacey Hurd on It’s a new day for Tulare County

”

Valley Voice 2 May, 2019

15

VOICES & OPINIONS

Caring for others is a prescription for a healthy community ED AMMON, ADVENTIST HEALTH The mission of Adventist Health is simple but earnest: Living God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness and hope. It informs every decision we make from patient care to business development. It has been the guiding light for one of our best recent decisions, which was to establish Adventist Health in the city of Tulare and reopen the hospital.

Now that we are serving Tulare residents, we are committed to doing even more to reach patients who may not have access to the services the hospital provides. We understand that there are residents without traditional homes, or without insurance or transportation or enough money to plan further than today’s meal or tonight’s need for safety and security.

We understand that these residents may not get the care for themselves or their families unless we are willing to provide it.

For those reasons, we look forward to hosting a health clinic Saturday and

Sunday, May 4-5, with Life Hope Centers, a Seventh-Day Adventist Church mission, to care for this underserved population. Through an all-volunteer team, including volunteer dentists, vision specialists and medical professionals, Life Hope Centers health clinics provide dental care, vision care and limited medical and health-related services at no cost to the recipient.

Volunteer dentists will perform cleanings, extractions and fillings; vision-care experts will screen patients for eye disease and fit them for eyeglasses, which will be provided at no cost; and basic health screenings will be provided to find those patients whose health may be at risk so that a plan for care can be established.

Services will be provided on the hospital grounds on a first-come, firstserved basis to adults in need, many of whom have been identified with the help of our local church partners who will also join us that weekend. By providing services to those most in need and least able to afford it, we re-

duce the pressures on our emergency rooms, improve the quality of life for these residents and provide a foundation for security for the entire community. Our hope is that recipients will have their most urgent needs fully met on that day.

We also hope that this will be the first of many such clinics supported by our community. We welcome everyone with just a bit of time to spare to join us in making this worthwhile project a success for Tulare.

Compelled by our mission to live God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness and hope, we will transform the health experience of our communities by improving physical, mental and spiritual health; enhancing interactions; and making care more accessible and affordable.

Through the engagement of our volunteers and church partners, this inaugural health clinic will provide an outlet for caring that aligns with the mission of Adventist Health while creating a stronger, more supportive and

healthier community for all Tulare residents.

Ed Ammon is the Executive for Mission Integration, Central California Region at Adventist Health.

Veteran’s Corner: Same-day access to emergency mental health care SCOTT HOLWELL As part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) efforts to provide the best mental health care access possible, VA is reminding Veterans that it offers all Veterans same-day access to emergency mental health care at any VA health care facility across the country.

VA’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention is the national leader in making high-quality mental health care and suicide prevention resources available to Veterans through a full spectrum of outpatient, inpatient and telemental health services.

Additionally, VA has developed the National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide, which reflects the department’s vision for a coordinated effort to prevent suicide among all service

members and Veterans. This strategy maintains VA’s focus on high-risk individuals in health care settings, while also adopting a broad public health approach to suicide prevention.

VA has supported numerous Veterans and has the capacity to assist more.

In fiscal year (FY) 2018, 1.7 million Veterans received Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health services. These patients received more than 84,000 psychiatric hospital stays, about 41,700 residential stays and more than 21 million outpatient encounters.

Nationally, in the first quarter of FY 2019, 90% of new patients completed an appointment in a mental health clinic within 30 days of scheduling an appointment, and 96.8% of established patients completed a mental health appointment within 30 days of the day

they requested. For FY 2018, 48% of initial, in-person Primary Care — Mental Health Integration (PC-MHI) encounters were on the same day as the patient’s PC encounter. During the first quarter of FY 2019, 51% of initial, in-person PC-MHI encounters were on the same day as the patient’s PC encounter.

Veterans in crisis – or those concerned about one – should call the Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-8255 and press 1, send a text message to 838255 or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine. net. (Adapted from VA newsrelease) The Kings County Veterans Service Office can complete the DMV Veteran Status Verification Form for the California Veteran Designation on your driver’s license and also issues Veteran I.D. cards to honorably discharged veterans.

Contact Scott Holwell at the email

address provided below, 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.

Your comments from Facebook

“ “

Other former board member should also be named part of the lawsuit! They should all be held accountable...

— Nubia Gonzalez on Tulare hospital district sues

This suit specifically addresses the actions of the Board in approving a resolution that gave HCCA permission to seek a loan of up to $22 million without Board oversight. Sherry Bell was not on the Board at that time.

“ “

— Chris Northcraft on Tulare hospital district sues

”“ ” “ ” ”“

True but so many in this town would love to see Sherrie Bell and Laura Gadke along with Kumar be held accountable for their costly unethical decision making and blessings that set in motion the Benzeevi/ HCCA takeover (in my opinion).

— Barb McGhee-Kane on Tulare hospital district sues

Thats because, THE ONLY thing...The Dems wish to create in Sacramento, is a NEW TAX. Doesnt matter on what. Here soon they will be a tax due to your breathing of air.

— Barb McGhee-Kane on Tulare hospital district sues

If anyone pays attention to the city’s budget, isn’t it ironic the amount of the claim is very close to what the city has cash on hand? ($16,742.050) If a council member had the true interest of Tulare at heart, he would not bankrupt the City. There is so much more behind this claim. Nunley has been bullying city staff for years. Please citizens of Tulare and especially members of District 5, please rally at the next council meeting on April 16th to provide comment on why Nunley should step down from his position on council. We made change for the hospital and now let’s change the faces of council.

— Larry on Nunley demands $16.5m, apology

”

This is proof that when you see something wrong say something!

And stick to it! Bravo Tulare County.

Hopefully the new rules will be enforced and there will be fewer messed up dogs coming out of Tulare County into rescue. Genetics matter!

— Vicki Hurd on It’s a new day for Tulare County dogs

Hey, I know what Tulare needs: another controversy! That’ll get things back on track for sure! Good grief!

— Justin Estermann on Nunley Demands $16.5M

” ”

16

Valley Voice

2 May, 2019

Dairy Family of the Year to be celebrated, and Dairy Princess crowned, on June 14 STAFF REPORTS The Tulare County Dairy Women, Tulare Chamber of Commerce, and the California Milk Advisory Board are once again collaborating to honor the dairy industry on June 14th with the event, “Salute to Dairy,” and the 35th Annual Tulare County Dairy Princess Coronation. On Friday, June 14th the Tony Mendonca Dairy family will be recognized as the Dairy Family of the Year and the next Dairy Princess will be crowned. The evening begins at the International Agri-Center’s Heritage Complex at 6 p.m. with a wine and cheese social hour and silent auction, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the program. Tony Mendonca Dairy will be awarded Dairy Family of the Year, and the culminating event will be the coronation of the new Dairy Princess.

Organizers are pleased to have four young women competing for the Title of District 9 Dairy Princess.

The Dairy Princess will serve as a dairy ambassador for the coming year. The contestants are: Reagan Bosma, Veronica Faria, Madelyn Fernandes, and Paige Kroes. California Dairy Princesses build a favorable public image for milk and dairy products through appearances at industry and agricultural functions, presentations to school groups, and interviews with the media. The Dairy Princess program has proven to be an invaluable experience for both the crowned princess and those children and adults she encounters throughout her reign.

Tulare Chamber CEO Donnette Silva Carter commented on the upcoming event, “Tulare County is the dairy capital of the world, and what better

way to celebrate than this Salute to the Dairy Industry and Dairy Princess Coronation event, which is held during National Dairy month. In addition to our princess candidates and the Mendonca family, we look forward to showcasing the dairy industry and other supportive businesses at the event through the table decorating program. In Tulare itself, we have a theme of ‘Tulare We’ve Got It’ and when it comes to milk and related products we certainly do. We look forward to celebrating all that the dairy industry contributes to the economic health and wellbeing of Tulare County.”

The Tulare Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit association of business and community stewards, is dedicated to serving its members and the greater Tulare area by advocating for, and engaging in, efforts to encourage

economic opportunity and business prosperity. The Chamber is deeply rooted in the agriculture success of Tulare County through its participation in the creation of the Tulare County Fair and development of the Row and Field Crop Show, now known as the World Ag Expo. A partner in creating a strong local economy, the Chamber annually welcomes the opportunity to recognize the dairy industry’s contributions to Tulare County.

Tickets for the Dairy Princess Coronation and Salute to Dairy Industry event may be purchased online at www.tularechamber.org, or contact the Tulare Chamber of Commerce office at 686-1547. Opportunities for sponsorship, table decorating, and contributions to the silent auction are available to local businesses.

Tulare Mayor Jose Sigala will deliver State of the City address STAFF REPORTS Mark your calendars and plan to attend the Tulare Chamber of Commerce State of the City Luncheon on Friday, May 10th, at Edison Energy Education Center from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

The State of the City is an informative luncheon that provides community members with an opportunity to hear about city projects and goals.

Mayor Jose Sigala will present the State of the City Address.

In addition to Mayor Sigala’s State of the City Address, Tulare County Su-

pervisor Pete Vander Poel III will present the state of the County.

The event will also include State Legislative updates presented by Senator Shannon Grove and Assembly Member Devon Mathis. City Council members and city staff will also attend and be available at the luncheon to answer questions from the audience about local issues.

If there is a local government matter that has you concerned, this is the place to ask your questions.

Advance reservations for the lunch are required and the early reg-

istration price is $35 per person with the discounted price of $30 for Tulare Chamber members until May 1st.

Prices will increase by $10 after.

Please call 686-1547 or visit www.tularechamber.org for more information, to become a sponsor or to reserve a spot at this informative program.

The Tulare Chamber of Commerce thanks title sponsors: AltSys Solar; Altura Centers for Health; Family HealthCare Network; International Agri-Center; J.D. Heiskell & Co.; Lagomarsino Group; Land O’Lakes Inc.; Saputo; Southern California Edison;

the Tulare Hospital Foundation; and Tulare Regional Medical Center managed by Adventist Health.

Additionally, the Chamber thanks associate sponsors: 4Creeks; BR Frost & Co.; Davis Motorsports; EECU; Eagle Mountain Casino; Farm Credit West; Garton Tractor, Griswold, LaSalle, Dowd, Cobb, Dowd, & Gin LLP; Garton Tractor; Kaweah Delta; Mark Hoffman General Engineering; Mederos, Soares, Ormonde & Rascon; RES•COM Pest Control; Tachi Palace Casino & Hotel; TF Tire; and Will Tiesiera Ford.

Proudly introducing:

We are pleased to introduce Adventist Health Tulare — now the official, licensed operator of Tulare’s hospital.

Whether your health care needs are big or small, urgent or routine, the expert care you have come to expect from Adventist Health will be here for you and your family in Tulare, today and for years to come.

Learn more at AdventistHealthTulare.org