Effective July 1, 2026, Code Enforcement has transitioned from the Fire Department to the Planning & Engineering Department. Business Licensing has transitioned from Finance to Planning & Engineering. Water Meter Operations has transitioned from Finance to the Water Division in the Public Works Department, and Information Technology (I.T.) has transitioned from Finance to the Administrative Services Department. The required meet and confer process has been completed, and the affected bargaining units support these organizational changes.

These changes are part of the City’s ongoing commitment to organizational excellence and its High-Performance Organization initiative, which emphasizes continuous improvement, collaboration, innovation, accountability, and exceptional public service.

“Great organizations never stop looking for ways to improve,” said City Manager Richard Tree. “Our responsibility is to continually evaluate how we deliver services, remove barriers between departments, and organize our teams in a way that provides the greatest value to the people we serve.”

The realignment creates stronger connections between related services, improves communication and coordination amongst departments, and positions the organization to respond more efficiently to the needs of the community. Bringing Code Enforcement and Business Licensing together within Planning & Engineering creates a more integrated approach to development services. Aligning Water Meter Operations with the Water Division improves coordination of utility services, while relocating Information Technology recognizes the increasingly enterprise-wide role that technology plays in supporting every City department.

“Our goal is not simply to move divisions on an organizational chart,” Tree added. “Our goal is to build a culture of continuous improvement where every decision is focused on delivering better service, strengthening our organization, and creating a better experience for our residents, businesses, and employees.”

As Porterville continues to grow, the City remains committed to evaluating its operations, embracing innovation, and investing in improvements that enhance the quality and efficiency of public services. Every improvement we make today is another step toward building the high-performing organization or community deserves.

The post City of Porterville announces organizational realignment to advance organizational excellence appeared first on Valley Voice.

The first annual Elderberry Festival is a fun and free community event. The event welcomes people of all ages to come out to enjoy the morning while learning about ‘s , a magnificent California native plant which provides, food, medicine, and building material. The elderberry has been used by California indigenous peoples for millennia and continues to be used to this day. Elderberries are used by peoples around the world.

The Elderberry Festival includes free activities, cultural demonstrations, and free snacks and beverages. You can choose from arts and craft activities, observing the creation of  clapsticks, listening to a teen drum circle group, and or taking pictures in garden or photobooths. The gardens are within a City of Porterville public park along the Tule River just west of Jaye Street. Enter the park’s parking lot at the south bank of the Tule River directly across Jaye Street from Harbor Freight. This is north of the Jaye Street and Springville Drive intersection.

The Native Star Foundation is providing the clapstick workshop demonstration and bringing their teen drum circle. Clapsticks are a traditional Yokut percussion instrument made from elderberry sticks. The Tule River Parkway garden adopters are assisting with the event. Come and try your hand at rock painting, making paper poppies, blow art, spin art, have your face painted, and sit in the shade to color elderberry design pages. There are displays of elderberry products and foods made from elderberry.

The event starts at 9am with an opening and drum circle performance to welcome visitors to the event. At 10:00am there is a docent lead elderberry plant walk available. Special guests have been invited to perform at 11. At 11:45 there is a closing ceremony. Throughout the three hours visitors can try their hand at a variety of arts and crafts stations and demonstrations or enjoy a shady snack area.

Elderberries grow on every continent except Antarctica and have been used and consumed for through the millennia by the peoples living around the world. They are small, dark berries which grow on tall shrubs in clusters. Elderberry shrubs act as a keystone habitat, providing crucial food and shelter for a wide variety of wildlife. From insects feeding on pollen to mammals browsing the foliage, the entire plant is utilized in distinct ways by different animals.

The event is sponsored by Porterville Kiwanis, Vesper Mineral King Renewable Energy, Beneficial State Bank, Costco, and Tulare County Heath and Human Services through the Summer Night Lights grant. Contact Cathy Capone at tulerivergarden@gmail.com if you want to help at an event station or want information.

The post The Tule River Parkway Association puts on free community event at the Native Plant Gardens appeared first on Valley Voice.

Visalia, Tulare, Hanford, and Porterville’s garbage services are currently handled owned and operated by city governments.

According to the agenda packet, “The Refuse Division is staffed by 19 employees, collected and disposed of 40,000 tons of waste, including 5,425 tons of recyclables and 9,000 tons of organic waste.

For attendees, the April 21 agenda was the first indication Porterville was considering privatizing their garbage collection service since a 2023 study recommended the city avoid privatizing its trash service.

According to documents unearthed by a group of Porterville residents, that agenda item came after nine months of discussions between Porterville City Manager Richard Tree, Lindsay City Manager Kuyler Crocker, and Caglia Environmental — a Fresno-based waste management company to which Crocker is a consultant.

(Caglia‘s website does not list any services in Tulare County, and services in Lindsay are provided by Kingsburg-based Mid-Valley Disposal.)

City officials deny that any one company has received a blessing to take over Porterville’s trash service.

“Assumptions that a certain company has been pre-determined is not true,” Tree told the Valley Voice.

He added that the city is going to reach out to all interested waste management companies.

“We will rank the companies and then see if the council agrees to go ahead,” he said.

To privatize or not?  – depends who you are

The April 21 meeting agenda item states: “Consider and authorize advertisement of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Solid Waste, Recycling, and Organics Services, and direct staff to return to the City Council with an evaluation of service delivery options and a recommendation.”

Karen Anderson, a Porterville resident, said that Porterville’s sanitation department is doing a good job, are dedicated workers, and that Porterville is clean. She voiced concern about the fate of employees and families of those who would be laid off if the city outsourced its garbage services.

“Privatization of solid waste management can mean higher costs, less control, and fewer options when things go wrong,” Porterville resident Diane Wagner said. “Private companies are not in the business of public service but are in the business of making profits.”

Wagner added there would be much less accountability once a contract is signed with a private company.

“Rates go up, fees get added and the customer will be paying more for less service,” she said.

When two men representing the refuse company Caglia Environmental came to the podium with prepared statements, it raised a few eyebrows as to why they were the only refuse company present.

The president, Richard Caglia, said he wanted to express his interest in serving the city of Porterville. He said that Caglia Environmental had been serving the Central Valley for over 90 years and employs 300 local families.

He said his company’s implementation of the latest technologies such as their system of automation, AI, and robotics keeps costs down and he can pass the savings on to the customers.

Keith Hester, General Manager of Caglia Environmental, said customers would actually have more control over their garbage service if it were privatized.

He concluded by exclaiming, “I love the wraps around your buses! We would proudly wrap out trucks in old glory.”

When it was time for the council to speak Mayor Greg Meister countered that if the city did privatize he would negotiate for lower rates.

Meister said rates went up last year and he reminded the public that three more rate increases were scheduled.

He also said he would make it a condition that the chosen company has to hire Porterville’s employees currently working in the sanitation department and that the city would maintain some control over rates.

Meister pointed out that not only would the company be paying Porterville a franchise fee of $1.5 million a year but that Porterville could take advantage of a loophole in the system mandating electrification of garbage collection fleets.

Private garbage collection companies were not required to electrify their trucks he said, while municipalities were. Meister was referring to the California Resource Board (CARB) legislation declaring that all cities must electrify their garbage truck fleet by 2042.

But according to Trisha Whitfield, Tulare’s Public Works Director, it’s only a matter of time before CARB figures it out and mandates private and public fleets convert to electric.

She added that even if a city has an outside vendor, the city is responsible for monitoring that vendor and thus is on the hook for electrification.

“Visalia bought one electric garbage truck and Tulare just bought two. The drivers love them and the trucks easily finished a ten hour route,” she said.

Toward the end of the discussion, Tree suggested that the city council change from asking companies for an RFP to a simpler process, a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) — in the event the city decides not to privatize, Tree said the companies and city staff would not have wasted hours of staff time preparing a labor intensive document.

An RFQ, Tree said, would be about a page long and ask interested companies to list their qualifications and how they would serve Porterville.

Megan Crouch, City of Porterville’s lawyer added that California law does not require cities do a competitive bidding process when outsourcing services, and that no requirement is written in Porterville’s Municipal Code.

Couch rationalized that because the chosen garbage collection company would be paying the city a franchise fee it would make the bidding process not legally necessary.

May 5 council meeting raises more questions than answers

Despite the fact that privatizing Porterville’s trash and recycling services had generated robust public dissent during the April 21 meeting, city staff placed the item on the consent calendar for the May 5 meeting.

According to the agenda, “All Consent Calendar Items are considered routine and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these matters unless a request is made, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Calendar.”

The item stated, “Consideration to authorize the issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for solid waste services and authorize negotiations with the highest-ranked firm regarding a potential franchise agreement.”

City Council Member Raymond Beltran pulled the item and requested it be discussed with the general agenda.

Before the meeting got to the regular agenda public comment launched straight into skepticism over Caglia’s presence at the April 21 city council meeting.

Local resident Heather Thompson asked the council how one waste company happened to be at the last meeting.

Brock Neeley, a local activist, asked how it was that Caglia Environmental already had a tour of Porterville’s Corporation Yard before the April 21 meeting and before anyone knew Porterville was considering privatizing their services.

Tree explained in a phone interview with the Voice that there are many online tools available for companies to alert them to what cities are discussing on their agendas.

“My inbox is filled with vendors inquiring about city services,” said Tree.

Tree added that he hoped the city receives interest and inquires from all the local garbage and recycling companies. He said Tule Trash and Mid-Valley Disposal have also toured the corporation yard but he could not remember exactly when.

“We want to see if the best operator will work for Porterville,” he said.

Beltran had similar concerns explaining why he pulled the item from the consent calendar.

He asked Tree, “Can you tell us who initiated contact with Caglia Environmental and who was on the tour?”

Tree said he was at the League of California Cities Conference in October, 2025 where Caglia Environmental had a booth. He said The Caglia Environmental wanted to see Porterville’s operations

“So I initiated that tour, showed them our fleet and answered any of their questions,” said Tree. “They seemed pretty interested.”

In response to an email from a member of the public, the League of California Cities stated that Caglia did not have an exhibition booth at the conference.

“They (Caglia) did not have a booth with us. Let me know if you need anything else!” the email reads.

A series of emails also contradicts Tree’s assertion that he first met Caglia Environmental at the League of California Cities Conference.

Emails spanning over September 8 and September 9, 2025 between Crocker and Tree make clear that the Caglia Environmental tour of Porterville’s Corporation Yard happened more than a month before the conference.

Transcribed is the email chain between the two city managers.

Email from Crocker to Tree Monday, September 8, 3:29

Rich, 

Thanks or meeting with us last week. The guys are really excited about the possibility to serve Porterville. I have included additional questions the team has aas they are working on fine tuning the numbers. What does your schedule look like to check in either in person or a phone call for you and I? Let me know. 

Thanks Kuyler

Email from Tree to Crocker Monday, September 8, 4:09

Hi Kuyler, 

We will start working on the answers to the list of questions, but it will take us some time. Wednesday before noon is the best day and time for me this week.

Email from Crocker to Tree.

 Understood, Want to grab coffee at 9 or have a call?

Email from Tree Monday September 8, 6:29pm

Yea let’s grab coffee at 9. Where do you want to meet up?

Email from Crocker

Staffords?

Email from Tree to Crocker, Tuesday September 9 1:42

Perfect, see you then

Email from Tree to a city staff on Tuesday, September 9, 1:10pm

Howdy, 

From the recent Caglia on-site visit, they have come back with the following list of questions. Do we have any of this information somewhat available without too much work? You don’t need to answer the questions below right now, I am just curious what we have available and what we don’t have at all.

1. Total tons per year by commodity type
2. Residential trash, Residential recycling, Residential organics, Commercial trash, Commercial recycling, Commercial organics
3. Will the City continue to provide billing or would it prefer the contractor to bill?
4. Total debt for solid waste system.
5. What is the historic bad debt percentage on both residential and commercial? 
6. Is the City seeking a franchise fee, and if so, what percentage? 
7. What are the miles/hours on the trucks (by truck?) 
8. Can you supply the maintenance records for the trucks? 
9. Can you provide an asset list of all containers detailing size, age, and asset value? 
10. Can you provide a wage list by position for the solid waste system (drivers, mechanics, etc.)?

In a phone interview with Tree, the Voice asked again how he came into contact with Caglia Environmental.

“I was talking with a city manager and they brought it up,” he said.

When asked which city manager, Tree replied, “I don’t know how that matters.”

The Voice asked Tree when Caglia Environmental toured the Porterville Corporation Yard.

Tree responded he did not know the date — and when asked what month, he said he also did not know.

The Voice inquired about who was on the tour, Tree said he did not remember.

When pressed for an answer, Tree said “Maybe Richard.”

In another document that shows behind the doors collaboration between the two city managers was a PowerPoint sent in an email.

The first slide explained why the recruitment of a contractor should be “sole source” process. “Sole source” is when a city focuses on one company and does not engage in an open bidding process.

A second slide explained why Porterville should choose Caglia Environmental.

The slides showed a City of Porterville logo, but Tree said the PowerPoint was not created by him or his staff. He said the PowerPoint was created by Caglia Environmental in order to earn the city’s business.

Tree also said that “a lot has changed” since a study done by consultants recommending Porterville keep trash service in-house.

The RFQ has not been drafted, Tree said, and he did not expect the issue to come back to the council until the end of the year.

The city council might suggest changes and then give final approval, but final approval is far away, Tree said.

“Even if we get to that point it will be at least a year.”

The post Porterville residents allege dirty dealings in waste management privatization talks appeared first on Valley Voice.

Rivas was elected in November 2024 to represent District 3.

“Every elected official and public employee who makes or influences governmental decisions is required to submit a Statement of Economic Interest, also known as the Form 700,” the FPPC’s website states.

Elected officials list their economic interests such as real estate in Schedule B on the 700 Form.

FPPC rules state that elected officials “must report interests in real property located in your agency’s jurisdiction in which you, your spouse or registered domestic partner, or your dependent children had a direct, indirect, or beneficial interest totaling $2,000 or more any time during the reporting period. Real property is also considered to be ‘within the jurisdiction’ of a local government agency if the property or any part of it is located within two miles outside the boundaries of the jurisdiction.”

Rivas owns a home in Porterville on San Lucia — and 1.45 miles from the boundary of District 3 — worth approximately $330,000.

Rivas declared under penalty of perjury on his form 700 that he had no economic interest in District 3 or within 2 miles of District 3. But his wife, friends, business associates and property records all confirm he does own the house in District 2.

Even after being made aware that he had to disclose his home to the FPPC, Rivas did not amend his Form 700.

At the December 16 Porterville City Council meeting, Neeley gave Rivas a packet that instructed how he could amend his 700 form.

“That’s a Form 700 packet. You are required on Schedule B to list your property on San Lucia. It’s not listed,” Neeley said.

“I am giving you 15 days to amend that. If in 15 days I don’t see an amended one posted I am filing a complaint with the FPPC. It is probably going to cost you $5000 and your seat.”

Cole Smith, an investigator for the FPPC, said Rivas was informed of the complaint five days after their office received it and that the complaint was still under review.

He stated the penalty for perjury on Form 700 can range from $5000 per offense to just a warning, depending on the violation and prior offenses.

Rivas neglected to list his house on two Form 700s for 2024 and 2025, but Smith was not clear if that counted as two violations.

Rivas’ possible justification for not declaring his house might stem from the fact that elected officials are not required to declare their personal residences. The FPPC website states officials are not required to report “a residence, such as a home or vacation cabin, used exclusively as a personal residence.”

Greg Shelton, a close associate of Rivas, called the Valley Voice last December and said Rivas did in fact live with his wife on San Lucia Ave in District 2.

The Voice reached out to Rivas by phone and email but he did not respond.

According to the California code 36502, an elected official that does not live in the city limits or the district one represents during the term causes an immediate vacancy of their seat.

The Voice reached out to the Tulare County Districts Attorney’s office to inquire if they were investigating allegations that Rivas was not truthful in stating his residence in order to run for a district 3, which is a crime.

“As is our longstanding policy, we do not discuss whether an investigation is proceeding or not. Often, matters of election integrity are handled by the Secretary of State or the Fair Political Practices Commission, which then refers to the California Attorney General,” Stuart Anderson, Communication Director for the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office, said.

But if Rivas did mislead officials about his residential address, he may have found a loophole in the system. The Secretary of State and FPPC do not have an investigative arm to check if candidates or elected officials live where they say they do.

Michelle Baldwin from the Tulare County Registrar of voters said her office checks to see if the candidate is registered in the district in which they are running, but that they don’t have the resources to confirm if the candidate actually lives where they say they do.

Baldwin said it’s based on the honor system.

“We have to trust that the candidate is telling the truth.”

The post California FPPC complaint filed against Porterville councilmember AJ Rivas appeared first on Valley Voice.

At the December 16, 2025 City Council meeting, City staff presented an informational update outlining plans to close the Emergency Shelter in mid-January, consistent with prior Council direction but after further discussion, postponed the closure which has now been set to the end of February.

In preparation for the anticipated closure, City staff explored opportunities to secure external funding to extend shelter operations beyond the current fiscal year. This review included an evaluation of Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) funding and consultation with county staff familiar with the program. After assessing eligibility and program requirements, it was determined that the Armory was not an appropriate or cost-effective candidate for BHBH funding. Factors included the Armory’s temporary layout, lack of designated year-round beds, and the substantial capital and operational investments that would be required to convert the facility into a compliant bridge housing site. As a result, no feasible or sustainable external funding source was identified to continue Armory operations beyond the budgeted period.

As the closure approaches, the City is actively transitioning individuals through its Family Reunification Program. This program assists eligible individuals in reconnecting with confirmed family support systems, reducing reliance on congregate emergency shelter while promoting longer-term housing stability when reunification can be safely achieved.

In addition to local shelter planning, recent federal housing policy developments are presenting challenges for regional service providers. Local housing partners have indicated that federal funding competitions this year may not recommend renewal of Porterville-based Housing First Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) programs. These programs currently serve residents with disabilities who may be at risk of returning to homelessness if funding is reduced.

At the same time, federal guidance is encouraging a shift away from PSH toward Transitional Housing (TH) models, which require structured programming and mandatory participation in services and work-related activities. These requirements differ significantly from the Housing First approach used by the City and its partners and limit the City’s ability to provide matching or supplemental funding. Local providers also face limited time and resources to redesign existing PSH programs to meet TH requirements.

If federal funding is not secured, Porterville residents may experience reduced access to supportive housing options at the same time the Armory Emergency Shelter is closing.

City staff will continue to monitor regional and federal developments and will coordinate closely with local service agencies and Tulare County to support individuals impacted by these changes. The City remains committed to working collaboratively with community partners to pursue sustainable housing solutions and provide support to residents in need.

The post Porterville Armory emergency shelter closing at the end of February appeared first on Valley Voice.

I am rejecting the baseless residency attacks published by Our Valley Voice, anonymously and inaccurately. Their claim that I don’t live in my district — or that I committed fraud on my candidacy paperwork — is outright false.

Everything they’re shouting about was reviewed and approved by the California Secretary of State months before ballots were ever printed. Printing my home addresses doesn’t indicate wrongdoing. It only puts my family at risk by telling dangerous people where my kids sleep.

Before I ran, I confirmed my registration with the Secretary of State’s Elections Division. My residence inside District 3 is active, valid, and fully vetted through VoteCal. I maintain two locations in Porterville for one reason: safety. As a former gang-unit corrections officer who has received death threats, the law allows me to protect my family. Newspapers don’t get to rewrite that.

While they manufacture outrage, I’ve been focused on doing the work District 3 elected me to do. My track record speaks for itself:

• Transformed the River Parkway into a safe, lit, family-friendly walkway.
• Cleared zoning barriers so Papa’s Restaurant, Elevated Barbershop, Hawaiian BBQ, and Casino hotel could open or expand.
• Called for line-item budget reports and discovered $13,000,000 unfunded liabilities. Approved a balance budget plan to account for all city expenses, moving forward.
• Pushed for the Buildout of the Westwood/190 round-about to end constant traffic jams.
• Cut government friction which allowed the building of the Chevron project, next to RJ Meat Locker.
• Rewrote the sign code — to reduce government restrictions on local businesses.
• Chaired the Airport Advisory Committee — saved the hangars, stabilized the budget, kept pilots in Porterville.
• Repaved and widened major roads — Plano, Date, Olive — ending the pothole roulette residents dealt with for years.
• Redesigned the alternate bus routes linking the college and Family HealthCare Network, boosting ridership and unlocking future program funding.

District 3 isn’t a headline factory. It’s a neighborhood that needed fixing and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. I’m still negotiating new mixed-use housing projects, still pushing development, still delivering results.

No resignation. No retreat. Just results.

Editor’s note: Former Porterville City Council member and close associate to Rivas, Greg Shelton, confirmed twice during a phone call on December 1, 2025  to the editor of the Valley Voice that Rivas lives in District 2. The source was not anonymous. Also, the Valley Voice did not publish Rivas’ home address nor that of his daughter’s.

The post Porterville City Council member Rivas says he will not resign appeared first on Valley Voice.

Concerned Porterville residents claim that when Rivas filed to run for city council last year in District 3, it was widely known that he actually lived in District 2 on San Lucia Ave. Those people who have spoken to the Valley Voice have asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.

According to property records, Rivas and his wife Alice have owned their home on San Lucia in District 2 for decades. Their daughter, Adrianna, owns a home on Date Street in District 3.

District 2 is represented by Mayor Greg Meister, and was not up for election in 2024.

Rivas beat challenger Timothy Vanni in the November 2024 election for District 3 by only 5 votes, according to Ballotopedia.

A candidate has to live in the district they represent – not just visit

On Sunday, November 30, this reporter knocked on the door of Rivas’ home on San Lucia.

His wife Alice Rivas answered and, upon opening, I asked if AJ was home.

Alice said that AJ lives on Date Street, in his district. I then identified myself as from the Valley Voice and asked if he owned the home. Alice said she and AJ own the home but that he lived with his daughter on Date Street in his district.

The next day, December 1, former Porterville City Council member Greg Shelton called sounding annoyed.

“AJ wants to know why someone from the Valley Voice went to where he lived,” he said. Shelton and Rivas are close associates.

I responded that I went to Rivas’ house because his constituents had reason to believe that he did not live in his district.

Shelton confirmed that AJ did in fact live with his wife on San Lucia Ave. I informed Shelton that San Lucia is in District 2 which disqualifies Rivas from serving in District 3. Shelton responded by saying some people have multiple homes, and that what defines residency is where a person is registered to vote.

Not so, says Tulare County Registrar of Voters, Michelle Baldwin.

Baldwin said that to qualify to run in a city council district, the candidate has to be registered in that district and live in the district for which they are running.

Baldwin said that Rivas changed his voter registration in May of 2024. She could not reveal the address but it is known that Rivas changed his registration address from his home on San Lucia to that of his daughter’s home on W. Date Ave located in District 3.

“It says right on the City of Porterville’s election website,” Baldwin said, “in order to be eligible to hold any elective office, city council members elected to represent a district must reside in that district and be a registered voter in that district.  Further, any candidate for City Council must reside in, and be a registered voter in, the district in which they seek election at the time nomination papers are issued.”

When asked for the official definition of living in the district, Baldwin said, “living in the district.”

She said the registrar’s office checks to see if the candidate is registered in the district in which they are running, but that they don’t have the resources to confirm if the candidate actually lives where they say they do.

According to a local lawyer who specializes in elections, it is against the law to register to vote at an address that is not your home.

“A voter can’t just visit a residence, no matter how often, and then change their registration to that address,” he said.

Candidates also verify their residence on Form 501, “Candidate Intention Statement.”

According to the Fair Political Practices Commission, “The verification is signed under penalty of perjury.”

Baldwin said it’s the honor system. “We have to trust that the candidate is telling the truth.”

“Just resign”

According to California Code, Government Code – GOV § 1770 “An office becomes vacant on the happening of any of the following events before the expiration of the term:
“(e) His or her ceasing to be an inhabitant of the state, or if the office be local and one for which local residence is required by law, of the district, county, or city for which the officer was chosen or appointed, or within which the duties of his or her office are required to be discharged.”

According to a voting rights lawyer if a city council person has moved out of their district the seat is vacant.

“In general that’s how the law works,” they said.

“Saying you live in a district when you don’t – that’s a crime.” The lawyer added “people get prosecuted all over the state for that.”

John Sarsfield of the Law Offices of Melo and Sarsfield said about the Rivas case, “the voters deserve someone who lives in their district.”

“He should just get ahead of this thing and resign,” said Sarsfield. “It’s messy.”

Why did it take a year for someone to knock on his door?

A community member active in Porterville politics who requested to stay anonymous, said no one from Porterville knocked on Rivas’ door because the locals are afraid of retribution.

“The people in power are bullies,” she said.

They chased out former city council member Monte Reyes, she said.

“The other city council members made him so miserable he resigned for health reasons. It was horrible.”

The Valley Voice reached out to Rivas by phone and email multiple times but he did not respond.

The post Doubts surface over Porterville City Councilmember AJ Rivas’ district residency appeared first on Valley Voice.

The City of Porterville is proud to continue the tradition of sponsoring the Porterville Chamber of Commerce’s “First Friday Coffee” event on Friday, December 5, 2025, beginning at 7:00 AM. The event will be held at the Galaxy Theatre, located at 631 N. Indiana St., Porterville, CA.

Mayor Greg Meister will deliver the highly anticipated 2025 State of the City Address, offering updates on the City’s growth, achievements, and ongoing projects. This is a great opportunity for community members and local businesses to hear firsthand about the City’s recent progress and future initiatives.

In addition to the State of the City Address, the City will recognize its 2025 Outstanding Business Honorees: ITC Security Systems, Valley Strong Credit Union and Calico Mermaid Fabric & Quilt, celebrating their contributions to the Porterville community.

The First Friday Coffee event provides an excellent opportunity for attendees to network with local business owners, city officials, and fellow community members. It’s a perfect chance to stay informed and receive the latest information from the City of Porterville.

Information about the Porterville Chamber’s First Friday event series can be found at www.portervillechamber.org/first-friday-coffee/. For questions about the State of the City Address event, please contact the City of Porterville’s Economic Development Division by email at EcDev@ci.porterville.ca.us or by phone at 559-782-7460.

The post City of Porterville to Host 2025 State of The City Address at Porterville Chamber’s First Friday Coffee for December appeared first on Valley Voice.

A press release from the City of Porterville

The City of Porterville is pleased to announce that Bobby Rader was sworn in by Mayor Greg Meister on November 14, 2025, as the Interim Chief of Police for the Porterville Police Department. Chief Rader brings more than 16 years of law enforcement experience, including previous service at the rank of Captain with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.

“Our community has seen real progress. Violent crime is down and we have not had a homicide in more than two years,” Mayor Greg Meister said. “That success reflects the dedication of our officers and the strength of our community. I look forward to Chief Rader continuing this positive momentum and implementing the City’s family reunification program, which will support our efforts to address homelessness through effective solutions. Public safety and community well- being must remain at the forefront of everything we do.”

Chief Rader expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the department and for the support he has received from City leadership. “It is an honor to serve the residents of Porterville during this period of transition, and I appreciate the support of the Mayor, City Council, and City Administration,” Chief Rader said. “My focus is on supporting our officers, assessing the needs of the department, and demanding excellence in every aspect of our work. The community deserves a police department that is responsive, disciplined, and committed to service. I am committed to elevating this department into one of the most outstanding law enforcement agencies in the Central Valley, and I look forward to working closely with our personnel, the county, and neighboring police departments to advance that vision.”

City Manager Rich Tree emphasized the City’s commitment to strong leadership and continuous improvement. “We are in a season of change and this is an opportunity for the Porterville Police Department to continue improving the way we serve our community. I have full confidence in Chief Rader to guide the department with a strong focus on measurable results, consistent performance, and steady leadership. Our commitment to continuous improvement remains at the center of everything we do and Chief Rader will help us move forward with clarity and purpose.”

The City looks forward to supporting Interim Chief Rader as he leads the department and continues building a culture of service, accountability, and public trust.

The post CITY OF PORTERVILLE ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM CHIEF OF POLICE BOBBY RADER appeared first on Valley Voice.

On October 17, Porterville Assistant Police Chief Dominic Barteau sent out a department wide memo saying, “Chief Castellow will be on medical leave for an undetermined period of time. To ensure continuity of operations I will be assuming the responsibilities of Chief of Police until his return.”

On November 4, Captain Joshua Maniss sent out another department memo saying, “Assistant Chief Barteau, who was acting in the capacity of Chief of Police, will be on medical leave for an undetermined amount of time. To ensure continuity of operations I will be assuming the responsibilities of Chief of Police until his return.”

Later that day, newly acting Police Chief Maniss, sent out a memo, “As many of you have heard, the rumor was that the city will be appointing an acting Chief of Police for the Police Department. I have spoken with the city manager and I am here to confirm this information is factual, which will be effective this month the 16 of November.”

Maniss continued, “The new acting Chief of Police will be Bobby [Rader], who currently serves as a captain with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.”

Two former Porterville Police Department employees, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, claimed that Castellow and Barteau have left the police department on stress leave and that a department wide meeting was held today, November 7, to confirm the details.

Both sources speculated that a September 19 Valley Voice article detailing sexual harassment, retaliation, and racial discrimination, contributed to Barteau and Castellow’s decision to take leave.

One source, who referred to themselves as Sandy, said that Barteau and Castellow are at-will employees, and a source close to the city administration allegedly said there won’t be a job waiting for either of them when they are ready to come back.

According to Sandy, both men will most likely have to medically retire.

The other former officer, who refers to themselves as Rowan, said they were doubtful about whether Castellow’s or Barteau’s medical conditions were legitimate.

“The administration will probably let Jake retire because they don’t want more controversy with all the other stuff going on in the city.”

Rowen added that Lieutenant Mark Acevedo was promoted to Captain within the last few months, but when Barteau and Castellow got wind of changes happening inside the city, Acevedo was demoted back to Lieutenant. Captains are also at-will employees that can be let go  for any reason.

Acevedo was part of the “Old Boys” club described in the September 19 Valley Voice article.

Sandy said, “I was blown away when I heard they were taking stress leave. It’s laughable because when anyone else wanted to take medical or stress leave, Barteau and Castellow made their lives miserable.”

Rowen agreed, “be very careful if you want to take sick time because Jake and Dominic will make your life a living hell.”

At one point, Castellow and Barteau allegedly didn’t approve of who Rowen was dating and “launched an investigation into his misuse of sick time,” even though Rowen was under a doctor’s care.

Sandy said, “They made it impossible to leave, then impossible to come back to work if that makes any sense.”

Sandy claimed that even when a fellow police officer was injured in a car crash, Barteau and Castellow made it almost impossible for that officer to go on medical leave. Then, when the injured officer came back, they allegedly had a full work load “and from then on that officer’s had a target on their back.”

Barteau and Castellow’s tactic after an officer managed to go on medical leave was then to hype up a policy violation and get that officer fired, Sandy claimed.

“That’s why it’s so mind blowing that now both of them are on stress leave,” said Sandy.

Rowen said “I know by personal experience that they were doing the same policy violations that they disciplined or fired other officers for.”

Rowen said that he believed Barteau and Castellow would put officers under surveillance when they were on medical leave.

“This happened to numerous officers. They are notorious. Barteau and Castellow will go after you,” said Rowen.

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