DA amends criminal charges in Tulare hospital cases

Amended criminal charges against former Tulare hospital managers and their one-time legal counsel have been filed by the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office in preparation for initial hearings scheduled for mid-February. Streamlining Filings Thirty-eight updates were filed beginning January 25 in the cases against former Tulare Local Health Care District (TLHCD) and Healthcare Conglomerate Associates […]

COVID crisis pushing Tulare County to its limits

Timothy Lutz, director of Tulare County Health and Human Services, needed just one word to frame his reaction to the area’s current COVID situation: “Wow.” ‘Extremely High’ Death Rate He offered that assessment early on the morning of January 21, a day after Tulare County saw 319 new cases and nine deaths. In the brief […]

Former Tulare hospital CEO hires celebrity attorneys to aid criminal defense

The trial of Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA) CEO Dr. Yorai “Benny” Benzeevi could become a high-profile case garnering nationwide attention, as former attorneys for disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein and Casey Anthony — a Florida woman accused and acquitted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter — join his legal team. Benzeevi’s company managed the Tulare Local […]

Visalia Unified finances solid

Despite the turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Visalia Unified School District (VUSD) will see a budget boost of nearly $20 million over the previous school year. According to numbers presented to the school board by Jim Sullivan, administrator of VUSD Family and Community Services, the district’s coffers should contain around $387 million from […]

Incumbents out in pair of tight election races

The Tulare County Elections Office has certified results of the November 3 general election, and two incumbent politicians are on their way out after their races were decided by single digits. In Tulare, Steve Harrell has edged out incumbent City Councilman Carlton Jones by just seven votes, while at the Visalia Unified School District (VUSD) […]