Hanford residents will head to the ballot box on January 23, 2018, where they will be faced with two questions: should City Council Member Francisco Ramirez be recalled, and if so, who should replace him? Ramirez was first elected in 2014 and represents District D. If 50 percent plus one voters say yes to the […]
The recall election date for Hanford City Council member Francisco Ramirez has been set for January 23, 2018. Ramirez was elected in District D in November, 2014. Hanford City Clerk Jennifer Gomez received the recall petition on August 21 with 1,062 signatures. The recall group needed 853. After verifying 864 signatures she presented the petition […]
Hanford bucked the trend and became the first major town in the Central Valley to allow the commercial cultivation of pot. The next closest location is the small town of Coalinga in Fresno County. The Hanford City Council voted 5-0 on July 6 for an ordinance change in their General Plan to allow the production […]
Frustrations were evident on the faces of the Hanford Planning Commissioners when meeting for the second time to vote on Hidden Valley Park and the General Plan. The commissioners met on June 13, and then again on June 27, to confirm if the sale of the undeveloped 18 acres of Hidden Valley Park is consistent […]
Hanford City Clerk, Jennifer Gomez, approved the Petition for Recall aimed at Councilmember Francisco Ramirez. City approval came on June 21, giving the recall supporters 60 days to get 853 signatures. All signatures must be turned in to Gomez’ office by August 21 before 5pm. According to Hanford resident Skip Athey, the goal is to […]
This article has been updated to reflect the results of June 13’s Planning Commission meeting. While the ink was barely dry on Hanford’s newly minted General Plan, the city planning commission was expected to take the next step in preparing the undeveloped portion of Hidden Valley Park for sale at its June 13 meeting. But […]
After the Friends of Hidden Valley Park pounded the pavement for two weeks collecting signatures for a city-wide referendum, staff with the City of Hanford have rejected their petitions. “Based on my two findings I hereby reject the entire Referendum Petition as not being sufficient,” Jennifer Gomez, the Hanford City Clerk, told the group on […]
A group of Hanford residents has filed recall papers against Hanford City Council Member Francisco Ramirez. The group has 90 days from May 19 to collect 800 signatures in district D. Ramirez was elected in November of 2014. Hanford resident Skip Athey served Ramirez recall papers before the city council meeting started on May 16. […]
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 […]