This article has been updated to include comments by Councilmember Martin Devine. It was standing-room only April 24 at the Hanford City Council meeting as residents awaited the final vote on the 2035 General Plan. At stake were the rezoning of the vacant 18 acres of Hidden Valley Park and the protective zoning ordinances that […]
After more than three years of hard work the Hanford City Council was hoping, at its April 18 meeting, to finally approve Hanford’s 2035 General Plan. Supporters of Hidden Valley Park had other plans, though, and successfully filibustered for more than two hours to extend the decision to Monday, April 24. Many residents who spoke […]
Let Them Eat Cake Now that the GOP is focused on Tax Reform, President Donald Trump can use his office to do a little family estate planning. Let’s start at the end and work our way back. I don’t claim to fully understand the GOP tax reform bill but here is the gist. The GOP […]
Governor Jerry Brown declared the statewide drought emergency over except in the counties of Tulare, Fresno, Kings and Tuolumne, and the Visalia City Council agreed. The city council voted on April 17 to continue enforcing Stage 2 of the Water Conservation Ordinance by a vote of 4-1, with Mayor Warren Gubler voting no. Gubler felt […]
Hanford residents have one last chance to make their voices heard concerning the Hanford General Plan. Afinal Public Hearing will be during the city council meeting Tuesday, April 18, at 7pm in the council chambers. The public hearing was originally scheduled for April 4, but Council Member Justin Mendes was unexpectedly unavailable to attend. Even […]
The Missing Jersey, Russia and Congressman Devin Nunes Unless you live with a New England Patriots fan, most readers may not be aware that quarterback Tom Brady’s jersey was stolen after the Super Bowl in January. Someone posing as a member of the international media went into the Patriots’ locker room and stole the jersey […]
After making an impassioned plea to save Hanford’s “jewel” during its March 7 city council meeting, the council members rejected a bid to renovate the historic building during its March 18 meeting. Three bids were submitted, with the lowest coming in at $982,000 by JTS Construction. The vote was 5 – 0 against. The city […]
Visalia residents’ last chance to make their voices heard concerning the city’s half cent sales tax was held April 3. The city council is required to conduct two public hearings before adopting the final spending plan. The first public hearing was held March 20. No one spoke at either public hearing. The final spending plan […]
When I first wrote about Alex in the January 19 Political Fix he was curled up in an ICU bed de-toxing with liver damage. Roo, the dog he always wanted, had just died at a very young age. But I felt certain this was the end of a string of bad luck for Alex and […]
Hanford’s historical buildings bring in needed tourists’ dollars, and are cherished by the residents, but the question faced by the city council is how to pay for their maintenance. At the March 7 Hanford City Council meeting the debate raged over the Bastille, Old Courthouse, Rabobank and the Old Fire House. While the council members […]