Born in Exeter in 1935, Eddie Dobson has lived a life full of creativity, adventure, and service. After graduating from Exeter Union High School, he went on to earn degrees in archaeology, anthropology, and art while also serving as a U.S. Air Force helicopter pilot across Europe and the Middle East. His global travels and studies deeply influenced both his art and writing.

Eddie received his master’s in art from Arizona State University, where he focused on sculpture—a passion that continues to this day. His work blends influence from Native American culture, Egyptian history, and his love of working with metal, bronze, and wood. This exhibit is deeply personal, reflecting the diverse experiences and inspirations that have shaped his life and creative journey.

Over the years, Eddie taught art history at several colleges, including a twenty-year tenure at Grossmont Community College in San Diego. He has also authored sixteen novels, many inspired by his experiences in Exeter and abroad. Today, at 90 years old, Eddie resides on California’s Central Coast near his three daughters and remains deeply proud of his hometown roots.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit our website at www.cach-exeter.org.

About CACHE

The Center for Art, Culture, and History- Exeter (CACHE), formerly known as the Exeter Art Gallery and Museum Association, rebranded in 2023 in order to communicate its new mission of bringing to life the art, culture, and history of California’s heartland. The new museum board hosts quarterly art exhibitions showcasing local and regional artists. CACHE’s historical displays are committed to telling the stories of the people and events that have shaped our Tulare County area from its earliest days. We are proud to present a variety of educational programs and unique community events, and we invite everyone to experience the rich culture of Exeter.

The post Upcoming Art Exhibition at CACHE – A Look Back appeared first on Valley Voice.

CACHE, The Center for Art, Culture and History-Exeter, is pleased to announce the opening of solo show Betty Berk: Neo-Expressionist, on exhibit from May 6 through July 29, 2023. 

Artist Betty Berk is a neo-Expressionist painter whose work emphasizes texture and color. She has focused on oil painting over the past 30 years, although she has been creating arts and crafts all of her life. 

“We are pleased to present Betty Berk: Expressionist at CACHE,” said Art Selection Director and Board Member Robyn Stearns, a former Exeter Mayor. An artist’s reception will be held Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 2-4 p.m. at CACHE, 125 S. B Street in Exeter.

Berk studied art in college, and later with mentors and in workshops taught by nationally-known artists. She taught art for more than 20 years at Dinuba High School where she developed a citywide Festival of the Arts that highlighted fine arts throughout Dinuba schools. Additionally, Berk has served as the Director of Exhibits for the Alliance of California Artists, of which she is a signature member.

Playing piano has had an important impact on Berk’s art as well. “Composition and expression are one and the same in a classical music piece and one of my oil paintings,” Berk said. 

Berk has won many awards and shown throughout the San Joaquin Valley including Stockton, Fresno, Oakhurst, Visalia, Exeter, and Tulare. Berk can be found on Etsy, Facebook, and Instagram.

The Center  for Art, Culture, and History-Exeter (CACHE) is the new name for the 20+year-old Exeter, California-based nonprofit organization previously known as The Exeter Historical Museum and Courthouse Gallery of the Arts. The CACHE Board of Directors voted in November 2022 to rebrand the organization following a three-month consultation period with arts marketing consultant and Exeter native Aaron Collins. 

“CACHE is excited about its new brand, newly-articulated regional programming focus, and renewed energy following our rebranding,” said Dwight Miller, CACHE Board President. “We hope that cultural audiences throughout California’s heartland will join us as we present exciting exhibitions focusing on the art, culture and history of our region.”

The post CACHE Opens Betty Berk: Neo-Expressionist appeared first on Valley Voice.

Tony Reid – a seasoned defense attorney and private detective turned author – says the former Tulare County District Attorney knowingly framed an innocent man for the murder of 13-year-old girl in 1975 to save his political career.

Innocent Man Framed?

Reid’s new book, 12/26/75, details in minute detail the murder of 13-year-old Donna Jo Richmond in Exeter the day after Chrismas in 1975 and the eventual arrest and conviction of Oscar Clifton. That conviction, Reid says, was based on trumped up charges made to stick using false evidence and the intentional withholding of evidence that would have cleared Clifton’s name.

Strikingly, Reid said Tulare County’s current district attorney, Tim Ward, is still intentionally withholding evidence that proves Clifton was innocent. A second article in this series intended for publication in early January will explore the ongoing effort to clear Clifton’s name and Ward’s apparent attempt to stall it.

Clifton died in 2013 while incarcerated at the California Men’s Colony, a state prison located in San Luis Obispo.

Reid’s interest in the case began in 2016, catching his attention as he was researching a similar unsolved killing in Visalia that also happened in the mid-1970s. He soon gave his entire attention to the Richmond murder and what he said was an effort by Tulare County District Attorney Jay Powell to frame Clifton and assure his reelection by getting a conviction. He was aided in this alleged misdeed, Reid said, by Tulare County Sheriff Detective Robert Byrd.

Gathering the extensive background material Reid used to recreate the events of nearly half a century ago was a Herculean task, and Reid said the resulting book proves unequivocally that Clifton could not have killed Richmond.

“It took six years, so I hope it all makes sense,” he said.

Six Decades of Tragedy

While Clifton wasn’t convicted for Richmond’s murder until 1976, the events that would lead to him spending the rest of his life in prison began years earlier. Reid said Clifton originally clashed with the TCSO’s Byrd when Byrd was working as a union-buster for local ranchers and Clifton was operating a trucking company that sided with workers.

Clifton was convicted of an apparent rape that also may not have happened because of Byrd’s need for revenge, Reid said. The detective’s grudge against Clifton eventually caused Clifton to move his family out of the area for a decade. When he returned, Byrd picked up where he left off, eventually, according to Reid, fabricating the case against Clifton.

But Byrd didn’t work alone to put Clifton behind bars. Reid said he had the complete and willing support of Powell and his office to hide the bad investigation. Powell’s office even worked to substantiate the meritless case, Reid said, and he was able to put the story together in part because of Clifton’s own unceasing work to exonerate himself.

“After reading all of Oscar’s writings on this, the question became how was he convicted,” Reid said.

The answer was intentional prosecutorial misconduct by Powell, he said.

“He was trying to make a name for himself,” Reid said. “He was elected in the wake of the Watergate reaction. He was trying to be a hawk.”

‘Knowing Misrepresentation’

Although Clifton died in prison in 2013, his family still hopes to have his name cleared. Reid, too, would like to see that happen, and he volunteered to aid the attorney general’s office in investigating the case. Instead, the AG ordered the Tulare County DA to produce a conviction integrity review (CIR) to reaffirm proper conduct by the DA’s office during Clifton’s prosecution.

A CIR, according to Reid, is intended to review cases where the possibility of a false conviction exists. The CIR performed by the Ward’s office in the Clifton case is woefully inadequate, Reid said.

“A CIR should involve the defense counsel. That’s what was truly 100 percent missing from this report,” he said.

Importantly, a CIR is an official proceeding of the court, and Reid believes the CIR, if performed correctly, would clear Clifton of any wrongdoing.

“They’re still bound by the burden of proof,” Reid said. “The burden is beyond a reasonable doubt. There’s obviously reasonable doubt.”

Ward, Reid said, is aware the CIR is inadequate and is supporting it anyway.

“In terms of the law, we’re talking about a knowing misrepresentation. ‘I know this isn’t true, but I’m going to say it anyway,'” Reid said. “I don’t know why the DA’s office is making these statements when they know they are not true.”

12/26/75 is available for sale at the Exeter Book Garden, 189 E. Pine Street, or online at 12-26-75.com.

The post New book claims former DA framed Visalia man for murder in 1975 appeared first on Valley Voice.

The driver stopped the car, got out, and started shooting at two teenage pedestrians.

Two children on their bikes ran to Riddle’s neighbor’s house to take shelter, and the two teenagers being shot at ran and took shelter at her other neighbor’s house.

“It was very traumatic,” said Riddle.

Riddle was at the start of her campaign for Exeter City Council against incumbent Steve Garver. She was running on a platform of fixing the water infrastructure, fiscal responsibility and public safety, amongst other items.

But that all changed.

“When it personally happened to me, all other issues went on the back burner and public safety was my focus,” said Riddle.

Her campaign slogan became “Make Exeter Safe Again – Fund the Police.”

Unbeknownst to Riddle, she opened a Pandora’s Box of frustration that would unleash ridicule of her campaign from the local newspaper and create push-back from the city’s council and administration, but conversely garner support from Exeter’s residents and police department.

Lines had been drawn.

The Sun-Gazette, Exeter’s City Council and city administration insisted the crime rates are within the national average and that the city can’t afford to raise law enforcement salaries.

The residents of Exeter and the Exeter Police Department say there is a lot the city can do.

About three years ago Riddle formed a Neighborhood Watch on her block and the crime rate in her area decreased significantly. Riddle went to the Exeter City Council meeting to encourage the members to set up their own neighborhood watch on their blocks.

“All I heard was crickets,” said Riddle.

That’s about to change.

What can be done about crime in Exeter?

“The crime that is going on here [in Exeter] is not worse than it is in other places,” said Paul Myers, The Sun-Gazette‘s editor, on the latest edition of the paper’s Paper Trail podcast. “And if it is, it’s marginal.”

Myers and Sun-Gazette publisher Reggie Ellis discussed Riddle’s candidacy and race as part of a larger election recap, in an episode titled “Republicans beat women…in the polls.”

“She pushed people into being fearful of their community, and she is probably also going to win. Because why the fuck not?” Myers said.

“So, you can get into all of the emotion about politics and like, what she’s trying to stir up here, which is just infuriating in and of itself — because you’re looking at just piss-poor, terrible ideas being run over your community, and someone is trying to enforce them onto the governing body of said community.”

Myers said “that will get you nowhere, if you just try to attack it like that,” and said that “what we try to do here [at The Sun-Gazette] is you just try to look at the context and the facts.”

Myers gave Farmersville and Woodlake as examples of cities with similar problems as Exeter’s — losing officers to larger communities that can pay more, calling Riddle’s claims of an underfunded police department “blatantly untrue.”

“Staffing needs have been met”

During the podcast, Ellis and Myers said that Exeter City Administrator Adam Ennis told them that 70% of the city’s general fund already goes towards law enforcement.

They said that Ennis told them Exeter would likely need to take money from road maintenance in order to increase its law enforcement budget.

In an October 19 Sun-Gazette article about the Exeter City Council campaign Ennis was quoted saying the city has already created multiple new positions including a sergeant, lieutenant, patrol officer and a community services officer through Measure P 1% sales tax.

“Since adding these positions, the department’s staffing needs have been met.”

The article confirmed that the crime rate in Exeter had increased, but stated, “However, that is not unique to the nation. This trend has been occurring throughout the country over the same period of time.”

Exeter residents and police department disagree.

While most of the nation was huddled around their TV and computers waiting for election returns or attending watch parties, Exeter’s council chambers were brimming with angry and concerned citizens wanting to show support for their local police.

The Exeter Police Officers Association (EPOA) had dispersed a flyer asking the public to attend the November 8 city council meeting to express their concerns about crime in Exeter and support the local police.

“How do you think it makes the Exeter citizens feel knowing that our entire police force feels that our city council and our city management and our local paper doesn’t support them? How did it make us feel having to see our own police force having to start their own grass roots effort asking citizens to come to the city council meeting to show their support?” said one attendee.

The meeting was standing room only in support of the police with even more watching the live stream.

During public comment Vanessa Gagnon, an Exeter Union High School employee said, “I can honestly say that for the first time in my life I do not feel safe in Exeter. I blame the city council for saying we have enough officers. I blame the city council for thinking the officers will stay without competitive salaries or benefits.”

“I blame our local paper for writing an article on October 19, 2022, stating the crime trend has been occurring through the nation,” Gagnon said at the meeting. “Well, this is Exeter.”

Sherry Forcum, owner of the Whistle Stop, said, “We need the city council to hear the needs of the police department and I’m just surprised that we are here right now. We need to step up and do the right thing for our police.”

Officer Traci Prideaux read an emotional letter from the Exeter Police Officers Association (EPOA) describing a demoralized and under paid police force.

“The Exeter Police Department has been understaffed for over the last 6 months,” the letter states. “While fully staffed, the department employs 7 patrol officers, 2 detectives, 1 school resource officer, and 4 sergeants (14 total). The current staffing crisis has forced the department to run skeleton crews of 1 patrol officer and 1 supervisor per shift.”

Running the city on a skeleton crew puts the entire community at risk, Prideaux said.

“With only 1 officer and 1 supervisor on a patrol shift, there are multiple instances where our city is protected by a single officer….. In these staffing conditions we are experiencing delayed response times, additional liabilities, and severe safety risks to both our officers and the public. The quality of response and service we stand for as public servants has diminished.”

In regards to salaries, “Exeter is one of the lowest paid agencies in Tulare County. Officers within the Exeter Police Department make upwards of $10.00 less per hour than surrounding agencies.”

“This substantial pay gap is the single major driving force behind our current staffing challenges,” read Prideaux. “Our department is hurting. Our officers and their families are struggling. We feel strongly it is our duty to be fully transparent with our community about the issues our department is facing.”

According to Sergeant Michael Giefer, EPOA President, the police department approached Exeter City Council in April of this year. He said they went back and forth until finally the city said they were not willing to negotiate new salaries until the end of their contracts in June of 2024.

As a result of the “city closing the door on negotiations,” Giefer said Exeter PD immediately lost three officers and that two more officers and two sergeants have started the process of transferring out of Exeter’s PD.

But, he said, if the city looks like they will come back to the table the four officers might delay leaving the department.

What do crime statistics say – and does it matter?

NeighborhoodScout’s Crime Index gives a numerical rating to each city’s level of crime based on how many crimes occur per 1000 residents.

On a 0-100 scale, where 100 is safest and 1 would be the most dangerous cities, NeighborhoodScouts Crime Index gave Exeter a rate of 16. That means 84% of cities in the United States are safer than Exeter.

In comparison NeighborhoodScouts rated Farmersville at 31, Woodlake at 46 and Lindsay at 24.

According to another website that tracks public safety, crimegrade.org gave Exeter an over grade of C-

The C- grade means the rate of crime is slightly higher than the average US city. Exeter is in the 33rd percentile for safety, meaning 67% of cities are safer and 33% of cities are more dangerous.

According to Crimegrade, a crime occurs every 18 hours 1 minute (on average) in Exeter.

Crimegrade gave Farmersville, Woodlake and Lindsay the same grade, a D.

But residents take issue with comparing Exeter with Farmersville and Woodlake, of which they have little in common except they are located in the same county.

Exeter punches far above their weight, with their Chamber of Commerce equal to that of Hanford’s, a city six times their size, and Exeter’s Downtown rivaling that of Visalia’s, the county seat.

The EPOA letter also took issue with the comparison, “we strive to be the agency that is setting standards for others to follow [..] rather than remaining in mediocrity because ‘those around us do so also.’”

Sun-Gazette lashes out at Riddle’s campaign, candidacy

Ellis and Myers believe Exeter is doing the best they can in terms of crime and the larger employment landscape — and were openly hostile towards Riddle for focusing her campaign on public safety.

“Her campaign tactics were so nakedly Trumpist, I would consider it embarrassing,” Myers said.

He said if he adopted similar tactics, he would “be embarrassed, because I would be saying I have no intellectual capability myself.”

“[…] she doesn’t understand how police works. She doesn’t understand how community safety works. She is just trying to get people to be upset that there is crime going on,” Myers said.

They contrasted Riddle’s campaign tactics with Garver’s.

“[Garver] actually cares about his community, and he’s not flamboyant about trying to incite a vote. He’s just saying, if I do the work and people notice, they’ll re-elect me. And it’s a very, very stand-up way of running an election for your community,” Myers said.

“And Vicki Riddle is not that, right? And that’s sad. Sad for a lot of reasons. It’s sad because people are taken in by it, not by any fault of their own, but because they’re underinformed, and it’s just predatory,” he continued.

So what do the residents of District D say about Riddle?

Votes are still being counted, but so far, 60% have cast their ballot for Riddle.

And what did the Exeter City Council think after EPOA and residents stood up for their police force?

According to Giefer, Ennis approached the EPOA the day after the city council meeting and said the city was reconsidering opening up negotiations.

“He said he has to do his homework and then meet with the city council and would get back to us in December,” Giefer said.

Riddle ended public comments that night encouraging the city council and administration to listen to the public.

“These are the only people who matter. These are your constituents. I hope that you take what Adam says and also listen to them,” motioning to the crowd. “You can make this work, you can.”

The post Exeter law enforcement says they’re underpaid and crime is on the rise — who’s to blame? appeared first on Valley Voice.

Longtime Exeter resident and community organizer Vicki Riddle has announced her candidacy for Exeter City Council District D.

She has received the endorsements of State Senator Shannon Grove, Assemblyman Devon Mathis, Assemblyman Vince Fong, District Attorney Tim Ward, and Supervisor Larry Micari.

“I have seen Vicki’s lifelong dedication to Tulare County and developing leadership skills in our young people. I am proud to support Vicki for City Council as she continues to give back to the community,” said Assemblyman Vince Fong

Riddle is currently a member of Tulare County Association of Governments, the Exeter Planning Commission, Supervisor District 1 Youth/homeless commissioner, and a trustee on the Exeter Cemetery District.

She is also a regular attendee of the Exeter City Council.

“I never miss a meeting!” she says.

Though Riddle’s passion for Exeter and its youth runs deep, the turning point in her decision to run for office was when the Exeter City Council voted 5-0 to spend the federal COVID money on giving every city employee a onetime $10,000 bonus.

Riddle said that, given the many needs facing the city, she would have reached out and asked the constituents how they wanted the city to spend the money.

The city’s reasoning for the expenditure, said Riddle, was that they felt city workers deserved a raise.

“All of the citizens of Exeter deserved a raise during the pandemic,” said Riddle.

“There is a disconnect between the Exeter City Government and the voter. My only special interest group is the tax payer,” says Riddle.

Another motivating factor for Riddle to run was Exeter missing out on millions of dollars in beautification grants offered by the state.

Farmersville received $4 million and Woodlake and Lindsay received more than a million in grant money from the state to improve their cities. Riddle said that Tulare County Association of Governments reached out to Exeter but they said they did not have an engineer to write the grant.

“I’d write the grant,” said Riddle. “You don’t always have to have a city manager write grants.”

She said Cal Trans writes these grants for small cities and would have done it for Exeter. Riddle said the grant could have covered the cost of putting in a splash pad at all of Exeter’s parks.

“State and federal grants is where money comes from and that’s why it’s important to have relationships with the state elected officials.”

Riddle also says that a state grant would pay for a new well in Exeter, new water storage, and a three quarter mile pipe to Tooleville.

The state has mandated Exeter to hook Tooleville up to their water system and will provide the money to pay the cost.

Self Help Enterprises could write the grant, but the Exeter City Council has not reached out to them, said Riddle.

Besides water and city finances, Riddle’s priority is public safety.

“I challenge ever Exeter City Council member to be a watch commander for their neighborhood.” Riddle is the watch commander for her neighborhood and has meetings at her house attended by the police who hand out educational materials to the residents.

“Criminals stay away from alert neighborhoods,” said Riddle. “The crime rate should be going down not up in Exeter.”

Another public safety issue is legalized pot.

A measure approving the tax structure for medical marijuana in Exeter will be on the November ballot. The city council voted 5-0 to direct the city lawyer to write the measure, but Riddle said she would have voted against it.

“I don’t want to open that door to having a pot dispensary in down town. Exeter is too small. If someone wants pot they can have it delivered or drive the six minutes to Farmersville,” said Riddle.

Riddle also was not pleased with Exeter’s Planning Commission’s approval a “tobacco” shop on Pine Street that sells a wide range of vaping paraphernalia right next to VIP Pizza where families and high schoolers hang out.

She says in reality it is a “vape shop where they have a wide variety of bongs.”

Riddle was not on the planning commission when that vote was taken but would have appealed the decision if she had been on the city council.

Riddle said that City Manager Adam Ennis does a great job but that “he spoon feeds the city council the information and the vote is always 5-0.”

It should be the other way around said Riddle. The city council members should be doing their own research, go to the people, the tax payer, and find out what they want. Then the city council member should be going to the city manager and say ‘lets make this work’”

“Always having a 5-0 vote is the definition of a good old boys club,” said Riddle. “People need to vote for someone who can stand in their shoes and vote on their behalf. What I don’t respect is the good ol’ boys system.”

“I have a broader vision,” said Riddle. “I believe Exeter can make California a better state. The conservative communities need to align themselves to counteract the liberal California legislature.”

The post Vicki Riddle announces candidacy for Exeter City Council appeared first on Valley Voice.

A press release from the Exeter Cemetery District Board

For over 100 years, Exeter and our surrounding communities have been served by the cemeteries of the Exeter Public Cemetery District. In times of need, the families of Exeter, Farmersville, Lemon Cove, Lindcove, Outside Creek, Yokohl Valley, and surrounding areas have turned to the Exeter District Cemetery, Deep Creek Cemetery, and Hamilton Cemetery as the final resting places for their loved ones.

Today, our cemeteries are facing unprecedented financial challenges. Without additional revenue, the cemeteries may have to close permanently. If that happens, our communities will lose a big piece of our history and our families will lose a local, cost-effective way to respectfully lay their loved ones to rest.

Because of declining and now insufficient revenues, over the past 10 years our District has been forced to lay off staff, reduce maintenance and upkeep of the cemeteries, defer purchase of new equipment needed for replacement of worn-out and obsolete equipment, and reduce expenses to the bare minimum.

To help make up for these deficiencies, the District’s Board of Trustees is asking local voters to approve a special parcel tax of $35 per parcel per year on each of the approximately 8,000 parcels within the District. These new funds, estimated to net $270,000 per year, would be used to improve landscaping and maintenance of the District’s three cemeteries, improve accessibility and safety, replace worn-out equipment, upgrade facilities, drill a new water well at Deep Creek, develop new gravesites, and improve services for local families. Under State law, the District will only use the new funds for these purposes. The Board of Trustees also will appoint a Community Advisory Oversight Committee to review the District’s expenditure of the new funds and make an annual report to the public and the Board to help ensure that the proceeds are expended only for their authorized purposes.

Please join us in supporting our cemeteries by voting yes on this measure!

The post Exeter Public Cemetery District Needs Your Support for Measure U appeared first on Valley Voice.

For the little ones take them by Exeter’s Library Open House from 5 – 8pm.

The Tulare County Library’s Exeter Branch Open House on Thursday, December 2, offers special evening hours for a chance to meet with Pete the Cat, and while supplies last, take home a special Pete the Cat Take and Make craft kits and check out a Pete the Cat book.

This Library Open House shares the night with the Exeter Chamber of Commerce’s First Open House during December. Learn more about Exeter Chamber of Commerce’s Open House nights at www.exeterchamber.com.

The Exeter Branch Library is located at 230 E Chestnut, Exeter.

Exeter’s Christmas Open House includes a Christmas light display contest and themed nights

December 2^nd – Grinch Street Grand Opening

December 9^th – Ugly Christmas Sweater

December 16^th – Elves night out

December 23^rd – Classic Christmas

(Visalia’s Open House ends the 16^th)

The post Holiday Open Houses in Exeter and Visalia appeared first on Valley Voice.

Trump lost and Biden won. So how does a conservative grass roots organization such as Exeter Republican Women respond to such a declaration?

According to Vicki Riddle, founder and Vice President in charge of programs, “We get busier. We up our game and reach out to our community with even more interaction. We have doubled down on our authenticity and good works. As a Federated Republican Woman our national organization encourages clubs to serve their community no matter the party affiliation of those who benefit. We call this ‘Caring for America’ and it crosses all party lines for sure.”

This mindset became evident when a quiet, and kind soul, Patricia Singh began coming to the general meetings of Exeter Republican Women. Patricia had expressed a desire to compound her volunteer effort at Karen’s House, (a safe place for abused women and young girls) by multiplying the donations via ERWF. This would be a non-political project void of political motive.

The first effort occurred following board approval when a car load of donations were assembled and brought to Karen’s House personally by Patricia with ERWF President Lilly Hart, and board members Theresa Speak and Carin Mayfield.

That Christmas endeavor grew into another project!  Patricia pitched the idea to the ERWF board to provide personal welcome grooming kits for every new Karen’s House admission. The idea was immediately approved by the board and on February 4th, Patricia presented a large Visual Display, front and center in Exeter Woman’s Clubhouse meeting hall.

Kits and donation forms were placed on each dinner table. The general members at this monthly meeting were enthusiastic towards Patricia’s heartfelt endeavor. Money was donated to provide kits which Patricia assembles in her home for $10 each. The kits are cute, colorful and are large purse size plastic kits stuffed with personal items.

Every month this Exeter group, which includes men as associate members, will be given the opportunity to continue giving. Currently Patricia is collecting donations for her Mother’s Day project

ERWF general meetings are the Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm featuring a guest speaker, dinner with wine included for $10.

March 4th Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux will give the presentation at Exeter Women’s clubhouse 201 Kaweah Ave. All are welcome to attend!

The post Exeter Republican Women Starts Year off Donating to Women’s Shelter appeared first on Valley Voice.

Organized and funded by the Exeter Chamber of Commerce, the Miss Exeter Scholarship Program is an opportunity for young women of Exeter who are seniors in high school to participate in community activities and serve as ambassadors for the town. It is also an opportunity to earn a scholarship to be used following high school graduation.

The 2020 Court is composed of Brooklyn Blackmon, Solmia Moreno, Samantha Reeder, Allison Paregien, and myself. Chamber executives Sandy Blankenship and Sarah Tyler and their fellow board members felt the need to continue the program in 2020 in spite of the challenges. “​With COVID-19 restrictions making most of the Fall Festival activities impossible, everyone wanted to see the Miss Exeter program continue. Many young ladies look forward to participating in this personal development and scholarship program during their senior year, so with the help of the Advisory Committee, we worked to convert the program to a virtual format,” Blankenship said.

By tradition, high school seniors look forward to participating in the program because they are able to get an in-depth understanding of the needs of the town. “My encouragement to participate in the Miss Exeter program this year came from my knowledge of the program and what Miss Exeter is about,” Blackmon shared.

The candidates and I began attending meetings via Zoom in September, where we learned about the history of the Exeter Chamber of Commerce, the town and its values. We were tasked with selling raffle tickets through an online platform to fund future events to be put on by the chamber. It was critical that we share the value of the chamber with community members, and the need to support the organization through this taxing time.

As the annual Fall Festival week with its parade and festivities were ultimately canceled in October, the Miss Exeter Coronation event was postponed until December 1. “​Some things I’ve learned through Miss Exeter is how to persevere through difficult times and when things get tough,” Reeder said. The candidates did not falter despite several setbacks.

The members of the court learned how to present themselves to community members when selling raffle tickets on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, and were encouraged to interact with businesses around town while sporting custom-made Miss Exeter masks. We documented the Annual Scarecrow Contest by creating videos and taking pictures which were shared on social media, and had the opportunity to meet the business owners who hosted the scarecrows.

In November, the candidates learned how to go through a professional job interview, and were asked by the judges what we hoped for the future of the town, and how we might bring a new light to it during our tenure on the 2020 court. Moreno explained that this was a highlight of her Miss Exeter experience because “​I thought that it was going to be all tense but it wasn’t, we laughed and had fun.”

On the evening of coronation, she and I recalled how long it felt to wait until the day of the coronation event, yet, when we put things into perspective, every moment spent via Zoom seemed to pass so quickly!

Although traditional town activities are in limbo, Paregien, who was named runner-up, says she has high hopes for the future of Exeter. “I am also very excited to be able to learn and grow with all the girls on the court this year through the program. It’s a blessing we were all able to participate despite the setbacks we have had from the pandemic.”

Ultimately, the Court and I are humbled to serve as ambassadors for the town. Reeder encapsulates our achievement perfectly: “​I learned how to know in my heart, despite the outcome, that I am more than capable of conquering anything that comes my way,” she said.

The post Miss Exeter 2020, a Lesson in Perseverance appeared first on Valley Voice.

Because of Coronavirus, the Red Cross is not setting up an evacuation shelter inside Exeter’s Veterans Memorial Building but rather providing a Temporary Evacuation Point (TEP). A few tables and Red Cross personnel are set up outside the building to provide people hotel rooms or other logistical support.

Around 5:30pm eight families from the South Fork area of Three Rivers, some with pets, were waiting in the parking lot at the Veterans Memorial Building at 324 N. Kaweah to be given a hotel room. The evacuees will be provided shelter for the duration of the evacuation.

The Red Cross personnel said that the hotel would be local, probably no further than Visalia, and that they would be able to accommodate pets. At time of publication, the organization was still working on finalizing  arrangements with a hotel.

No donations at this time are being collected at the TEP but the Red Cross will accept checks that can be ear marked to go towards the Sequoia Complex Fire.

In the event the fire does cause structural damage to Three Rivers, the Rocky Hill Church is on standby to help with providing basic needs to the evacuees.

It’s a mandatory evacuation for South Fork because the fire is closer to that section of Three Rivers, and also to alleviate traffic in the event the entire town needs to be evacuated. The remainder of Three Rivers is under a voluntary evacuation order.

In a plea from Tricia Stever Blattler, who is the director at Tulare County Farm Bureau and is helping organize intake of livestock at Woodlake Rodeo Grounds,  “Please don’t wait till the last minute, daytime is better than night time. It takes time to find trailers, drivers, and get help to folks especially farther up in the hills.” –

She said that there is plenty of space at the rodeo grounds “but what is tight is getting trucks/trailers into the impacted areas to evacuate livestock, particularly livestock that is not used to being in trailers, and may not be easy to handle and load. please plan ahead and get help and prepare for your evacuation plans early and frequently update as needed. You may only get to exit and not return to your home, so gather up all pets and important evacuation materials in the FIRST load.”

“You do NOT need to make appointments, just load up and get down safe,” said Stever.

For further questions concerning the Exeter TEP please call the Public Information Officer Nicole Maul  559 320-6224.

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