A federal lawsuit pending in US District Court claims a “law-enforcement gang” composed of sworn deputies is operating within the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. The accusation stems from what plaintiffs – all current and former TCSO deputies – allege is a widespread conspiracy. County leaders, they claim, punish law enforcement officers who speak out against […]
Preliminary work by Caltrans to reroute traffic exiting Highway 198 at Lovers Lane (State Route 216) has begun, reports Visalia City Hall. Preparations will continue through the winter months. Then in March, the project – which includes permanently blocking a portion of Mineral King east of Lovers Lane – goes into high gear. This is […]
The overburdened Highway 198 interchange at Lovers Lane will finally be replaced, but the project to relieve the unending traffic jam there will take at least a decade to complete. First Small Steps in a Big Undertaking But the job has now officially started. “We’re like right in the middle of the preliminary initial […]
Litterbugs and careless RV owners beware! Tossing your trash on the ground or storing a vehicle – such as an RV, trailer or boat – on a public street will soon carry a $1,000 fine. ‘Quality of Life’ and Safety Leads to Code Changes The changes to three chapters of the Visalia Municipal Code […]
Despite the best arguments of the residents and owner of the Westlake Village Mobile Park, the Visalia City Council denied their attempts to derail construction of a 28-pump gas station and car wash 160 feet from their homes. The 3-2 decision to ratify the previous decision of the city’s Planning Commission came during a meeting […]
Short-term rentals – so-called AirBnBs – are apparently still causing chaos in Visalia, and City Hall aims to bring scofflaw landlords to heel. They’re going after their pocketbooks. Almost No Compliance with New Code Just about this time last year, the Visalia City Council revamped the city’s zoning rules in an effort to bring […]
The owner of the Downtown Visalia Certified Farmers Market says the city’s new limit on the events requiring street closures is aimed at hamstringing her popular weekly gatherings. City leaders, however, say it’s a case of a personality conflict and self-interest. City Seeks Limits to Road Closures for Events At the center of the […]
Residents of Westlake Village Mobile Park say they will do anything it takes – including court action – to stop the construction of a 172,000-square-foot Sam’s Club in their backyard. And they say they have the backing of the park’s ownership. Mega Box Store Plan Approved, Appealed Westlake Village is located at 2400 Midvalley […]
Future neighbors of a proposed 172,000-square-foot box store near their homes are mounting a last-minute battle to prevent its construction. Residents of the Westlake Village Mobile Park at 2400 Midvalley Avenue in Visalia – which bills itself as a lake-dotted “nature paradise” for seniors – say their peaceful community is facing a threat to its […]
The good news: Cafe 210 – the community center owned and operated by the First Presbyterian Church of Visalia – will remain open for the foreseeable future. The bad news: The half a dozen employees who make and serve the food could soon be looking for new jobs. Money the Root of Evil at 210 […]