Michael Mota, a local patrolman for the CHP, claims he was wrongly evicted from the home he shared with TPD officer Lupita Hernandez based on false information she provided to her fellow officers. Mota also said officers sought retaliation after he made claims of misconduct within the department. Mota’s allegations are detailed in a civil rights lawsuit filed August 25 in Tulare County Superior Court.

Named as defendants in the action are Officer Hernandez, the City of Tulare, TPD Chief Fred Ynclan and retired TPD Chief Jerod Boatman.

The city has yet to file a formal response. A preliminary hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. on January 6, 2027 before Judge Nathan Ide.

CHP Officer Accused of Stalking, Harassment

According to the case filed by Visalia attorney Derek Wisehart on Mota’s behalf, a letter written by the Tulare city attorney’s office – Griswold, Lasalle, Cobb, Down and Gin – ordered Mota to avoid all contact with Hernandez. However, the notice was not personally delivered to Mota, but rather “published” by the defendants. Copies of the letter were sent to Mota’s employer at the CHP and his father.

The letter – dated May 25, 2025 – informed Mota he would face further legal action, including filing for a workplace violence restraining order against him, if he failed to comply with its requirements. Such an order would cause Mota to lose the right to carry a firearm, thus threatening his employment, the suit said.

The suit further claims the letter falsely accused Mota of stalking and harassing Hernandez, and its demands included staying away from the residence Mota and Hernandez shared. Mota’s suit claims the locks on the home were changed illegally by Hernandez in an illegal eviction without due process. The lockout occurred on May 6, 2025.

These alleged violations of Mota’s rights were performed “under the color of authority, without warrant, without a judicial court order, without any eviction notice or order, and did so under the threat to ruin (Mota’s) job and career.”

Suit Alleges Inappropriate Workplace Relationship

Melissa Wilcox, Tulare’s chief deputy city clerk, acknowledged the suit in a statement and said City Hall is preparing a response:

“In regard to the complaint, the city is aware of the lawsuit filed by Michael Mota. The complaint contains allegations that have not been proven, and the city is reviewing the matter with legal counsel. Because this involves pending litigation and confidential personnel matters, the city cannot comment on the specific allegations at this time.”

According to Mota’s suit, the accusations against him were untrue, and the information Hernandez supplied to her fellow officers was incomplete. She failed to disclose that she and Mota shared a residence and that the pair were “in a close, personal and sexual relationship.”

The suit also claims Hernandez was maintaining an improper relationship with her direct supervisor TPD Capt. Ray Guerrero. Mota said the pair also engaged in other on-duty misconduct, including coordinating their response to an internal affairs investigation. The suit claims Mota was acting as a whistleblower when he made the allegations against the pair, which was the main motivation for their alleged retaliation.

The suit seeks monetary damages of greater than $35,000 for the violation of Mota’s constitutional rights, retaliation, fraud and infliction of emotional distress.

Wisehart, Mota’s attorney, did not respond to a request for comment.

The post CHP officer sues, alleging Tulare PD misconduct appeared first on Valley Voice.

Placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of the City Council on June 2, Measure A asks voters to consider a 1-cent local sales tax increase. If approved by voters, the proposed measure would raise the City’s total sales tax rate from 8.25% to 9.25%, keeping the City competitive and matching the rate in neighboring cities. This change is projected to generate approximately $16 million in locally controlled General Fund revenue each year.

Sales tax is Tulare’s primary revenue stream and is currently trending downward, with a 3.5% drop projected in fiscal year 2026. Simultaneously, the City faces surging costs tied to inflation, pension obligations and the ongoing homelessness crisis. Despite implementing cost-saving measures such as deferring facility maintenance and capital improvement projects, financial forecasts predict a structural deficit within five years.

“Our role is to ensure our community has full clarity on the City’s financial landscape and how local services are delivered in Tulare,” said Mayor Patrick Isherwood. “We invite all residents to learn more about Measure A and participate in the upcoming election.”

If Measure A is approved by voters, this locally controlled funding would go directly into the City’s General Fund which supports services such as maintaining 911 emergency, fire, paramedic, and police response, protecting local youth from gangs and crime, helping prevent thefts and property crimes, addressing the local homelessness crisis, keeping public areas and community parks clean and safe, repairing local roads and potholes, protecting local drinking water sources and preparing for future droughts, and retaining and attracting local businesses.

By law, this proposed sales tax does not apply to everyday essentials like groceries, rent, or prescription medications. Out-of-town visitors who shop or dine in Tulare would contribute to the tax, ensuring that everyone who uses local infrastructure helps pay for it. Currently, Tulare faces an estimated $356.6 million in annual “sales tax leakage” due to residents frequently traveling outside the City limits for retail purchases. Measure A aims to keep more taxpayer dollars circulating locally.

“Transparency means making sure residents have clear, accurate information and meaningful opportunities to ask questions,” said City Manager Marc Mondell. “Through virtual and in-person community meetings over the next several months, we hope to help residents better understand Measure A so they can make an informed decision when they vote.”

For further details about Measure A, visit the City of Tulare Sales Tax Measure page.

The post City of Tulare services measure to appear as Measure A on ballot appeared first on Valley Voice.

The hospital expansion at Adventist Health Tulare – after more than a dozen years of delay and setbacks – will be ready to accept patients by 2028, says CEO of Tulare Local Health Care District Randy Dodd.

“We just signed a contract for $3.5 million, a preconstruction contract,” Dodd said. “In January we’ll be able to go out for bids.”

The district’s immediate goal is to complete construction of the first two floors of the stalled four-story tower, giving Adventist Health Tulare a new state-of-the-art emergency department and imaging center. Construction is expected to take 18-24 months to complete.

“It’s what we need at this time and what we can afford,” Dodd said.

Record Donation for Anniversary Celebration

The news of pending construction comes as Tulare Local Health Care District and the hospital celebrate a pair of major milestones – 2026 marks 80 years since the formation of the district and is the 75th anniversary of the hospital’s opening.

An open-house celebration of the historic occasions hosted by Adventist Health Tulare and the district is planned for 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, at the hospital, 869 N. Cherry St. The event is the opening of a months-long “season of celebrations,” Adventist announced.

“The hospital has been a vital part of the community for 75 years,” said Tim Haydock, operations executive with Adventist Health Central California Network.

Adventist Health Tulare received an A grade from the hospital ratings organization The Leapfrog Group. The hospital is accredited as a primary stroke center by the Joint Commission and as a Geriatric Emergency Department by the American College of Emergency Physicians.

“We are grateful for our community’s support over the years and are committed to further expanding and advancing care for years to come,” said Haydock.

Adventist also announced a “beloved member of the community” intends to make the largest donation in the hospital’s history. The identity of the donor will be revealed at the September 22 event.

Confusion Remains Following Mismanagement

Just after World War II – in 1946 when the nation’s military members were returning from posts around the world – Tulare residents formed the Tulare Local Health Care District with the ultimate aim of building a local hospital. Construction of the Tulare District Hospital began in 1949, and the $1.1 million, 86-bed facility opened in 1951.

The hospital changed names over the years, becoming the Tulare Medical Center and then the Tulare Regional Medical Center. Services expanded through the 1980s before a major renovation in 1993 that added a pediatric treatment center. In 2005, voters approved an $85 million bond to expand the hospital, with construction beginning on the tower in 2010.

Then construction stalled in 2014-15. The district had turned over management to the private management group Health Care Conglomerate Associates in 2013. The company’s executives were later convicted of fraud in their management of the district, and during their tenure the state of the expansion project became increasingly uncertain until it stopped entirely.

District CEO Dodd said more than 400 change orders have been issued over the stop-and-start construction of the tower. Most of the documentation from that period is now missing. Today, the building’s exterior is complete, but the interior remains unfinished. Unfortunately, no one can say exactly what has to be done to finish it.

“We’re now on architect number three and contractor number four,” Dodd said. “So it’s hard for us to go out and say, ‘This is what we need to do to finish this project.’”

New Tower Construction Starts New Era

The recently-commissioned study of the tower’s current state of readiness that’s now underway should yield a project list and cost estimate for finishing the first two floors of the tower. It will be complete by January.

“It will provide for us a document we can use to go straight out to construction,” Dodd said. “It could easily be 18 months from there and we’re good to go.”

The first floor will house a new, expanded emergency department, and an imaging center. The second floor will be home to state-of-the-art surgical operating rooms. Adventist Health will provide a $15 million loan to finance construction. The company will also spend $40 to purchase imaging and surgical equipment, Dodd said.

“We couldn’t afford both by ourselves,” he said.

But it is vital to have them. The imaging and surgical centers will vastly expand Adventist Health Tulare’s ability to treat patients locally. The signal a new era for the medical center.

“Those two things in combination will give us a new hospital,” Dodd said.

And then there’s the record donation to consider. To maintain suspense until the September 22 announcement, the donor’s name and the amount of the donation are being kept secret.

“I can’t tell you, I can’t tell you,” Dodd said. “It’s part of the surprise of the event. It’s big news to have someone in our community care so much that they’re making a huge donation.”

The generous contribution alone, however, isn’t enough to finish all four stories of the tower expansion and its basement loading docks, workrooms and storage areas. Work toward that ultimate goal continues.

“That’d be a huge donation,” Dodd said. “It’ll help in that direction.”

The post Tulare hospital tower open by ‘28, says CEO appeared first on Valley Voice.

The added funding is in addition to the $400,000 earmarked for concert expenses in the city’s 2025-26 budget, and the $5 million in city funds used for construction of the theater.

Approval was not unanimous. The latest funding approval came in a 4-1 vote on Tuesday, August 4, after questions were raised about the amounts the city is contributing and how much it will be expected to pay in future to keep the concert series active.

Poor Ticket Sales Leave City Covering Costs

Tuesday’s decision marks the third city council-approved subsidy granted since December, when city leaders approved a cash injection of $550,000 to cover ongoing expenses for the concert promoter, Spade Entertainment, while also extending the company’s contract with the city through August 2027.

Then in May, hoping to generate better ticket sales, the council approved another $132,000 to fund an extra concert featuring Hispanic musicians, this time with the cooperation of local ad agency Roox. Roox specializes in marketing to Hispanics, which make up 65% of Tulare’s population.

The reason for the additional funding requests, said Tulare City Manager Marc Mondell, is poor ticket sales. During the first year of the concert series, only 11,400 tickets were sold.

“It takes a while to establish the venue, work out all the kinks from an operational perspective, effectively market it, (and to) attract the right kind of talent that’s willing to come here,” he said.

Mondell told members of the city council that the city had expected to subsidize the cost of concerts during the theater’s startup period.

“So we knew that for the first three years at least, we were going to have to subsidize it, just like Visalia does,” he said, referring to that city’s financial contribution to its convention center and professional baseball team.

“It may take longer than three years. We don’t know, but we knew it’d take three years at least to understand what we’re dealing with here,” he said.

City Now Paying Theater Operation Costs

The original agreement with Spade Entertainment paid the promoter a portion of revenue from ticket sales, the entire net proceeds of alcohol sales, along with 80% of revenue from corporate sponsorships the company is expected to solicit. In exchange, Spade would cover operational costs for the concert series.

However, midway through the first concert season, the city and Spade changed that agreement. Spade now receives a single $5,000 payment per concert for its services. Operating costs are now the responsibility of the city.

Spade and the city, Mondell said, would be unable to meet contractual obligations if the city did not act to shore up the concert series.

“Here’s sort of the numbers where we’re at as of the best guesstimate we have based on today,” he said. “Total revenue (is) about $436,000. That’s ticket sales, sponsorships and net bar (receipts).”

Total expenses so far total $418,861, meaning Spade has nearly exhausted the money it’s received from the city.

“The operator’s cash on hand is just about $17,000 and change,” Mondell said. “That’s what they have in their pockets right now to last them through the rest of this concert series.”

Five concerts remain on the 2026 series calendar, meaning the cash-strapped operator will run out of money before it can collect outstanding income from previous ticket sales. Spade is also booking acts for the 2027 concert season. Tuesday’s vote ensures the concerts will continue, but taxpayers will foot the bill.

“The remaining subsidy that we need to cover the balance of costs going forward is about $181,000 and change,” Mondell said. “The request we’re asking for tonight is $160,000, because we would use Spade’s $17,000 and change.”

Financial Goal of Concert Series Unclear

The only dissenting voice on the council was that of Councilmember Jose Sigala, who eventually voted not to award the latest subsidy. He also voted against the $550,000 subsidy awarded in December.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Sigala questioned why the city is now paying the expenses of a private business that’s found itself unable to meet its obligations. He also asked for a clearer picture of the city’s future financial responsibility for the concert series, and what level of loss is acceptable.

“I go back to some of the fundamental questions I have in regards to expectations, accountability and continued financial investment into the series,” Sigala said. “ What is the goal on the return now? What is the expectation? If it’s a $100,000 concert, if it’s a half a million dollar concert, $200,000 concert, what is the expectation the city manager feels is appropriate? Is it [a] 90%, 10%, 1% return?”

Mondell did not give a direct answer, suggesting a dollars-per-concert view of the city’s expenditure was an incomplete assessment that failed to weigh other benefits, such as bringing more people downtown.

“I wouldn’t define it that way because no two shows are alike,” he said. “For example, some of our shows are completely free, right? So there is no return on investment. We just lose money, if you’re talking about (it) in terms of dollars.”

Instead, Mondell suggested the best measuring stick would be the amount the city spends to subsidize the concerts.

“The way I look at it is more at the end of the year, how much are we subsidizing the concert series? That’s what I’m really trying to focus on,” he said. “Our goal is to get it to where there is no subsidization. That would be our ultimate goal.”

Downtown Concerts Drive Commerce

During Tuesday’s request for funds, Mondell reiterated the reason why the city has invested more than $6 million in turning Zumwalt into a center for entertainment, and why it continues to fund the concert series. He hopes, he said, to counter a negative impression about the city’s spending.

“I think it’s very important because there continues to be misinformation in the community,” Mondell said. “I want to put on the record the facts.”

The Adventist Health Amphitheater at Zumwalt Park is the centerpiece of the city’s plan to reinvigorate the city’s business district, according to Mondell, who said 400 letters of support for the concert series the city has received are proof of citizen support and commitment to the idea.

“I would qualify all of them as people that are fully invested in the concert series,” Mondell said. “They’re the folks that are spending their money and their time and their energies on the concert series.”

With the addition of the amphitheater and other attractions, like the kid-friendly water feature, have boosted park attendance. Some 13,000 people visit Zumwalt each month. Eventually, that number could rise to as many as 50,000 visitors a month.

“In order to redevelop a downtown, you have to do several key things, and it’s all about people,” Mondell said. “You have to have people living downtown. You have to have people working downtown, shopping downtown, eating and drinking downtown, and entertaining and recreating downtown.”

To make those people appear, Mondell said the city will have to invest big.

Poor Ticket Sales Behind Theater’s Deficit

Dismal ticket sales are behind the lack of operating cash at Zumwalt. During the first year, only 11,400 tickets were sold. Of those, just 10% were purchased by Tulare residents. Mondell, who has worked on two similar concert schemes in other cities, said that number was unexpectedly low.

“That’s been one of my frustrations,” he said. “The other two venues that I was involved in, in my prior communities, we started out closer to 25% local attendance. The good news is that number is going up.”

Ticket sales are picking up slowly. In 2025, each concert had an average of 1,900 people in the audience. In 2026, the average is up to 2,400 per show. Those numbers have also been driven up by ticket giveaways.

The percentage of Tulare residents in the audience has also climbed to 39.8%.

The original deal with Spade was an 80/20 split on sponsorships, but the poor ticket sales stymied that plan, Mondell said. Now, the city and Spade are both putting all sponsorship revenue into funding the concerts. The city is also giving up its $1-3 per ticket income to fund the concerts.

“That money is just getting dumped back into the shows to try to keep the shows afloat for this period of time,” Mondell said.

That, however, hasn’t been enough to make ends meet, leading to subsidies from City Hall.

“Some shows, there’s not even enough money to cover the expenses,” Mondell said.

Subsidies May Continue Indefinitely

Mondell is betting the city will be able to stop subsidizing the concert series, and sooner rather than later. But it will be an uphill climb, he said, because of Tulare’s relatively low median income level. In fact, the subsidies may be here to stay. While the “ultimate goal” is ending subsidization, that may not be possible in Tulare.

“That doesn’t happen in every community,” he said. “It usually has a better chance of happening in the more affluent communities and the larger communities because you have a much bigger demographic to pull from. In this community, I would say, next year.”

The key to ending subsidies are increased ticket and concession sales, as well as locking in more corporate sponsorships.

Despite this sunny assessment, Councilmember Sigala asked Mondell to provide profit and loss statements for each future concert. Council members have stopped receiving reports on how the concerts have performed financially, he said, and he feels he’s unable to properly analyse the situation without that data.

“In other words, I have information that’s been provided to me through you, but I don’t know if it’s complete,” Sigala said. “But the information that’s been provided to me pretty much says the city is subsidizing 80 to 90% of each concert.”

Mondell said that number is likely lower due to the contribution of revenue into the concert series by Spade Entertainment.

“I haven’t looked at it from that perspective,” he said. “I think one of the things that is missing is we may not have done a very good job of clarifying for you how much of that was actually city subsidy versus Spade Entertainment subsidy.”

Council Support Strong for Concerts Downtown

Despite Sigala’s concerns, the other four members of the city council said the city should continue to feed cash into the concert series until it becomes self-supporting. While solid data is difficult to come by, indications are the concert series is drawing people from out of the area to Tulare. Visitors from at least 12 different states have attended, and the events are a large draw for residents of the entire Central Valley.

In December 2025, Spade’s contract was extended until August 2027, demonstrating the council’s support. Under this agreement, the city waived the cost of police overtime pay, agreed to waive its portion of sponsorship fees and gave Spade $75,000 to market the concert series. The city also set aside $250,000 to pay artist deposits and $175,000 to cover production, security and janitorial services for concerts.

Mondell said the city should offer those same terms in December of this year, when it will consider extending the contract with Spade Entertainment for another three years, and pushing it to 2030.

The majority of the city council appears to agree that taxpayers should continue to provide capital until the concert series becomes profitable enough to support itself. The boost to the city’s collective self-image is worth the expense.

“We made a three-year commitment to see this through, and the improvement has been fantastic,” said Councilmember Terry Sayre. “I’ve attended almost all the concerts, it’s not the Hard Rock, but the vibe, the atmosphere is positive, and the talk around that, it’s positive.”

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According to Assistant City Manager Thomas Gaffery, the shelter will cost the city about $7.3 million, while the remainder of the costs are covered through a combination of county, state, and federal sources. The shelter held its ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 10, 2026, though guests aren’t expected to move in until the tentative opening date of July 27, 2026.

“Tulare First”

During the ribbon cutting on July 10, City Manager Marc Mondell made it clear that the new emergency shelter will be following a “Tulare First” policy. In other words, the shelter will only be serving unhoused people that have ties to the city of Tulare.

To ensure this policy is followed, all potential guests go through a screening process in collaboration with Tulare PD’s Halo Team specialty unit. This partnership helps the shelter verify a person’s ties to the city of Tulare through the acquisition of personal information such as last known addresses, background checks, and other forms of documentation.

The shelter’s first guests will be those living at Tulare’s temporary homeless encampment that opened in 2023.

The encampment made up of city provided tents has been a marker of growing concern for some Tulare residents, who cite issues with sanitation, safety, and the prolonged presence of an encampment that was never designed to last for multiple years.

Former Tulare Mayor Terry Sayre cited construction delays as the reason for the wait, but assured the encampment will no longer exist after the tentative move-in day on July 27.

“It will be dismantled,” Sayre said. “Our goal is to get them permanently housed.”

The unhoused population at the encampment is aware of this upcoming change and has been given the opportunity to tour the new shelter as part of the transition process.

Tulare Cares Project Manager Brittney Dias stated that although the new shelter can accommodate up to 400 people if needed, current capacity stands at 200, with only 97 guests initially moving in from the encampment and an additional 50 beds reserved for referrals through the Kings View nonprofit organization.

Kings View is a behavioral health organization that provides mental health, substance abuse treatment, and social services.

Prospective guests unable to verify ties to the city of Tulare will be referred to other organizations such as Kings View, the Lighthouse, The Visalia Navigation Center, the Good Samaritan, and Salt & Light.

Three Phase Model

Tulare’s emergency shelter takes a novel approach in design and function built around a three-phase model intended to transition unhoused off the streets and into permanent housing.

According to Renee Soto, Tulare Cares Homeless Shelter Board Chair, the three-phase model arose from discussions among city council members. The model was designed with the intention of preparing guests for permanent housing by giving them tools to mitigate the chance of relapse or a return to homelessness.

“Ultimately the goal is to be housed,” Soto said. “But housed with the tools they need to succeed when they are housed.”

At the center of the Tulare Cares three-phase model is the main shelter structure that resembles an airplane hangar with tall ceilings, air conditioning, and industrial ventilation. The majority of  the guests will be living here.

The structure is divided into three large sections, each distinct from the others in bed count, privacy level, and amenities. Together, they form a progression system designed to advance guests toward the goal of finding and keeping permanent housing.

Phase A: Entry

The first phase of the model is a large, barracks-style dormitory with approximately 87 beds. This section of the shelter structure is split in half — women on one side, men on the other with access to secure storage. Privacy is minimal while staff assess for individual needs or behavioral concerns.

During this phase, guests begin acclimating to a more structured environment, are connected with a navigator, and start the process of obtaining any missing documentation, such as a birth certificate, ID, or Social Security card. According to Tulare Cares Operations Manager, Brittney Dias, acquiring this documentation can take up to a month.

“You’re just getting started. That’s gonna be your phase A,” Dias said. “We’re gonna try to get you familiar with structure and familiar with starting to take responsibility for your own actions.”

Phase B: Participation

After guests have acclimated to the structure and made progress in case management, they are given the opportunity to progress into B phase and move into the next section of the shelter structure. This phase holds 64 beds, with partitions providing semi-private living conditions. Along with more privacy, guests are also given opportunities to take on responsibilities through volunteering on the shelter grounds.

At this stage, staff can work with guests to help them find part-time or full-time paid work. Guests can also take classes on subjects such as art or managing bills, or attend AA/NA meetings and can earn what the facility calls “Care Bucks” — a form of on-site currency that can be used to purchase items such as clothes, laundry soap, dog food, blankets and hygiene products. The currency system is designed as an incentive to further acclimate guests to increased structure and responsibility.

Phase C: Recovery

The final phase of the model involves guests moving into the last section of the shelter, which contains 24 private rooms with two beds per room. This phase houses guests who are document-ready and either volunteering or earning income while they await a housing opportunity outside the facility. During this phase, guests continue to meet with case management and work with navigators. It is the final stop in the Tulare Cares three-phase model before guests ultimately leave the facility for permanent housing.

Most guests prefer to be in the private rooms. However, Dias emphasized that this phase of the model is only a temporary stop designed to help guests adjust to being in a home structure before they find a unit of their own outside of the facility.

“We’re trying to get [guests] familiar with being in a home structure, so that when you get into your own unit that you don’t get overwhelmed and feel like you’re on your own.”

The Rest of the Campus

The shelter structure is the heart of the facility where the majority of the living and work will be done. However, there are more than two dozen other buildings at the facility, serving a variety of functions meant to support guests while they progress through the phases.

North of the shelter structure is a collection of 16 modular two-room units. Each of these units has two beds per room and has a total of 32 rooms, adding an additional 64 beds to the shelter. Among these units are also spaces designed to accommodate guests with disabilities or limited mobility. More notably, these units are capable of combining with an adjacent unit to form a suite, an ideal living arrangement for guests with families or children.

“Families are different from individuals,” Soto said. “So we will be implementing a program specifically for them.”

South of the shelter structure is the second largest building at the facility where the classroom and laundromat are located. This is also the building where the food pantry is located, and where guests receive two meals per day. Dias said the number was intentional — receiving more than two meals would disqualify guests from continuing to receive food stamp assistance.

Another structure southeast of the facility is a small shipping container dubbed “The Hot Room”. According to staff, it acts as a staging area for guests’ belongings when they first enter the emergency shelter. The hot room takes advantage of the Central Valley heat and reaches temperatures upwards of 120 degrees fahrenheit and serves as a natural sanitization space that kills pests like bed bugs.

Other notable buildings and accommodations around the facility include a large space for dog kennels, a garden area, a small basketball court, a large shipping container with extra clothes, an office space for staff, and four modular buildings with multiple restrooms and showers.

It Takes a Village

A facility the size of Tulare Cares would not be operational without a robust team of dedicated staff working to keep it running. According to Dias, the emergency shelter will be fully staffed 24/7 seven days a week and will have security around the clock.

A total of 22 staff members will be serving guests at the shelter. The team consists of staff leads, admin, a food coordinator, and twelve part-time staff, most of whom were previously unhoused. The facility will also have a team of volunteers to help support daily operations.

One of the key roles is a team of four navigators hired to facilitate case management. Navigators will assist guests with individualized needs such as documentation, application support, networking, health benefits, and permanent housing placement.

“They will be right next to you the whole time working you through the systems,” Soto said.

Many of the staff operating the shelter were previously unhoused at the encampment two blocks away and have been provided positions through the Lighthouse Rescue Mission.

“Over the last couple of years, the individuals in the encampment who have stepped up to volunteer and worked with [Dias] rose to the top by nature and started serving and volunteering today,” Soto said.

One of these individuals is Mauricio Ramirez, a full-time lead for Tulare Cares. Ramirez was homeless for three years in Tulare and began his journey toward stability while volunteering at the encampment. He said leadership saw potential in him and gave him growing responsibilities over the years, which has culminated in full-time work at the new emergency shelter.

“It’s been a blessing,” Ramirez explained. “Rarely do you get this kind of opportunity.”

The journey that Ramirez has taken to achieve stability and permanent housing is a testament to the years of outreach, support, and relationship building done by the city and nonprofit organizations.

“That’s the story of Tulare Cares,” Soto explained. “No one is new to this. In the last 20 years it’s been a coming together of the homeless community and the city.”

The post Tulare Cares Emergency Shelter – a novel approach in design and function appeared first on Valley Voice.

Woodville Landfill now allows free drop-off of mattresses, box springs and futon mattresses from California residents and businesses at 19800 Road 152, Tulare, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Up to 10 units can be dropped off at once, with a box spring and mattress each counting as a separate unit.

“We are excited to offer Tulare County residents more convenient options for recycling their unwanted mattresses,” said Tulare County Supervisor Dennis Townsend. “This new site represents our commitment to making our roadsides and community cleaner for everyone and free from illegal dumping.”

Since 2016, MRC has recycled more than 14 million mattresses in California. The program’s recyclers have diverted 555 million pounds of steel, foam, fiber and wood from landfills. These valuable materials are used to create new products such as construction rebar, carpet padding, insulation, mulch or biomass fuel.

“We’re thrilled to build our presence and make recycling used mattresses easier for Tulare residents,” said Mike O’Donnell, MRC’s Chief Operating Officer. “Collectively, sites in Tulare County recycled more than 280,000 mattresses in 2025, contributing to the more than 1.5 million mattresses this impressive network recycles each year in California.”

In addition to the new Woodville Landfill site, mattresses and box springs are also recycled at 10 other locations in Tulare County. Tulare County residents can find the location nearest to them using our site locator.

In addition to these options, mattress shoppers can have their retailer pick up their old mattress. The state law requires any retailer that delivers a new mattress to also offer to pick up an old one at no additional cost. Many retailers choose to recycle the mattresses they collect from customers through MRC. Whether shopping in-store or online, California consumers should ask their retailer about their take-back service.

MRC is a nonprofit organization that operates statewide recycling programs in California and three other states that have passed mattress recycling laws.

MRC’s Bye Bye Mattress program is funded through a state-approved recycling fee that is collected on each mattress or box spring purchased by California consumers. The fee is used to establish free drop-off locations and collection events throughout the state, transport collected units from these sites to companies that dismantle the discarded products, and recycle the materials. Other portions of the fee are dedicated to combating illegal dumping and research efforts that improve the recycling process and recyclability of the component material.

The post Drop off mattresses and box springs for free at new Tulare location appeared first on Valley Voice.

The City of Tulare relies on its General Fund to pay for day-to-day operations and essential community services, including public safety, parks, roads, infrastructure maintenance, and other local services. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, public safety accounts for 55% of the General Fund, or more than $38 million.

“Placing this measure on the ballot gives Tulare voters the opportunity to consider a local funding source for City services,” said City Manager Marc Mondell. “Our role is to provide clear, factual information about what the measure would do, how much revenue it is estimated to generate, and how residents can review the details before casting a ballot.”

According to City financial projections, Tulare is expected to face a structural deficit within the next five years, meaning ongoing expenses are projected to outpace ongoing revenues. The City has taken cost-saving measures, including delaying capital projects and deferring maintenance, while also facing rising costs related to inflation, pensions and homelessness response. Sales tax revenue, which makes up roughly 31% of the General Fund, is projected to decrease by 3.5% in FY 2026, from $23.1 million in FY 2025 unaudited actuals to $22.3 million.

Tulare’s current sales tax rate is 8.25%, which remains one of the lowest among surrounding incorporated cities in Tulare County. Sales tax rates in Dinuba, Visalia, Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay and Woodlake are currently higher than Tulare’s rate. If this measure is approved by voters, Tulare’s sales tax rate would increase to 9.25%.

Because this is proposed as a general tax measure, the revenue would be deposited into the City’s General Fund and may be used for general government purposes. The ballot language identifies local service areas such as maintaining 911 emergency, fire, paramedic and police response; protecting local youth from gangs and crime; helping prevent thefts and property crimes; addressing homelessness; keeping public areas and community parks clean and safe; repairing local roads and potholes; protecting local drinking water sources and preparing for future droughts; and retaining and attracting local businesses.

Based on FY 2026 projections, the estimated cost of the one-cent sales tax increase would be approximately $466 per capita, or roughly $1,540 per household annually.

“The people of Tulare want a safe and affordable City to call home,” said Mayor Patrick Isherwood. “This measure helps us get there. This measure would fund more cops, fix more potholes, keep parks safe for our kids, and get us to the level of services the residents of Tulare expect and desire.”

The measure will appear on the November 3, 2026, statewide general election ballot. Ballots and voter information will be administered by the Tulare County Registrar of Voters.

The post Tulare City Council votes to place local sales tax measure on November ballot appeared first on Valley Voice.

Former CEO of the Tulare Local Health Care District (TLHCD) Yorai Shimon ‘Benny’ Benzeevi can no longer practice medicine in the state of California.

The Medical Board of the California Department of Consumer Affairs announced today, May 7, that the disgraced onetime emergency room doctor agreed to surrender his physician and surgeon’s certificate. The agreement was signed by Benzeevi on April 20 following a disciplinary hearing.

Benzeevi was ordered to turn over his wall certificate and pocket license, and he will lose all rights and privileges as a physician and surgeon in California.

Benzeevi won’t contest medical board charges – but can’t escape allegations

If he attempts to reinstate his license or seek a new license, the agreement states that he will be forced to pay $49,928.25 in investigatory fees and that he will accept “all of the charges and allegations” in the state’s original complaint.

The allegations that led to Benzeevi surrendering his professional license stem from his illegal conflict of interest while he served as both owner and CEO of Health Care Conglomerate Associates (HCCA) – which was contracted to manage and operate Tulare Regional Medical Center for the TLHCD – and as CEO of the TLHCD.

In 2020, Benzeevi was charged with 40 felony crimes and six misdemeanors. He pleaded no contest in a 2024 Tulare County Superior Court hearing to six felony counts of conflict of interest, one misdemeanor count of failure to disclose his use of district funds to run a smear campaign against a candidate for seat on the TLHCD board, and a final misdemeanor count of using his position as a government official for personal gain.

For his role in defrauding taxpayers, Benzeevi was sentenced to 120 days of house arrest, ordered to perform 420 hours of community service (reduced from 600 hours), received two years of felony probation, and was ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution to his victims: TLHCD and the Southern Inyo Healthcare District (SIHD). HCCA and Benzeevi were also managing the financially-troubled SIHD.

As part of his agreement with the Medical Board, Benzeevi will effectively accept the allegations of the charges for which he was convicted if he attempts to seek a new medical license in California.

“After years of fighting to be heard, the surrender of his license without contest speaks for itself,” said Patty Drilling Phelps, an organizer of Citizens for Hospital Accountability, which fought to expose Benzeevi and other HCCA officials’ fraud. “The community was right, and now the record reflects that.”

‘Corruption and Dishonesty’ Led to Medical Board Review

Among the crimes mentioned by the medical board was the use of TLHCD funds to finance his lawsuit against the former head of Tulare Regional’s medical executive board. When TLHCD board member Parmod Kumar faced a recall election in 2017, Benzeevi allegedly employed the Israeli company Psy Group to interfere in the campaign of rival candidate Senovia Gutierrez.

Later, after Kumar’s landslide defeat, Benzeevi illegally blocked Gutierrez from taking her seat on the board, according to the misdemeanor he pleaded no contest to.

Benzeevi also engineered a $500,000 line of credit to SIHD from the TLHCD, charging for the service and using the borrowed funds to enrich HCCA. He also arranged for SIHD to borrow money from another company he owned, Vi Healthcare Finance. That loan was secured by future tax income.

The double-dealing CEO also extended loans from HCCA to TLHCD beginning in 2015, and he eventually sold $3 million of TLHCD equipment to a third party company, then signed an agreement for TLHCD to lease back that equipment. He used $2.4 million of those funds to pay TLHCD’s debts to HCCA.

His conviction for these crimes was the primary cause for the initial allegations to remove his license. The Medical Board, however, also cited Benzeevi’s corruption and dishonesty, as well as his general unprofessional conduct as added causes for prohibiting him from practicing medicine.

Case Against HCCA Attorney Resumes Next Week

Benzeevi did not act alone as in the alleged fraud against TLHCD and SIHD. Former HCCA CFO Alan Germany was also convicted on two counts stemming from his involvement in Benzeevi’s actions. Germany was convicted of felony conflict of interest and a misdemeanor for failing to file a financial disclosure form required of all public officials.

For his part in the HCCA scheme, Germany paid $150,000 in restitution to his victims, served two years probation and performed 540 hours of community service work. He was also required to write a letter of apology to residents in the TLHCD. He faced a maximum sentence of three years.

Former HCCA attorney Bruce Greene faced an identical set of charges to those alleged against Benzeevi and Germany. However, Greene rejected a plea bargain deal similar to those offered by the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office to his former co-defendants. In May of 2024, the Tulare County Grand Jury found sufficient cause to indict Greene on 11 felony charges and five misdemeanors.

Greene pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The ongoing criminal case against Greene is in addition to a disciplinary hearing against him before the California State Bar. The state’s attorneys accuse Greene of using his influence with HCCA and TLHCD to benefit himself and his client, Benzeevi. The matter is pending, awaiting the outcome of the criminal charges.

Greene’s criminal trial is scheduled to resume next week before Judge Michael Sheltzer. A pretrial conference is set for 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 14. The department location will be announced.

A jury trial for Greene is currently scheduled for 10 a.m. on September 26, with Sheltzer presiding.

The post Benzeevi surrenders medical license after conviction in Tulare hospital corruption case appeared first on Valley Voice.

Del Lago Residents Object

The crucial zoning change, city officials said, is necessary to complete a state-required update of the housing element of the city’s general plan. That update is already years overdue and has been underway since 2022. Yet the move still triggered a last-minute outcry by those living in the subdivision that surrounds the rezoned parcel.

The rezoning and updated report to the state were approved April 21 in a 3-1 vote.

A handful of residents of the Del Lago subdivision in northeast Tulare turned out Tuesday night to voice concerns about the zoning change before the council made its final decision. Speaking about the hypothetical increases in traffic and crime that could result from living near multi-story apartment complexes – as well as the loss of privacy and degradation of the neighborhood’s calm atmosphere – they asked the city to preserve the status quo.

“The winery was quiet. It didn’t throw loud parties,” said Del Lago resident Devin Tucker. “It didn’t cause problems. And now nine years later, they’re talking about building multi-level apartments and adding a lot more population to a neighborhood. And that’s just not something we’re interested in. I don’t think that’s a good move.”

Besides upping the area’s housing density, the council also approved giving the owner of the acreage the right to develop the land without City Hall’s OK, as long as the project meets the city’s design standards and fits the new zoning designation.

Those who objected believe it’s too great a degree of freedom.

“A future project that fits the zoning could move forward by right without any other public hearing,” said Trisha Dean, whose Del Lago home is adjacent to the 10-acre plot. “So tonight might be the only opportunity families get to speak before something that much larger and more intense is placed directly behind our homes. This is a big ask of us.”

The land under review is surrounded on three sides by the Del Lago subdivision. Its fourth side faces onto Mooney Boulevard north of Prosperity Avenue. The area is in City Council District 4 and represented by Dennis Mederos. He was not in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.

No Plans Yet to Develop Rezoned Area

Following the council’s action Tuesday, City Hall no longer has any say about how the property can be developed in the future, no matter what income level it’s aimed at. Any properly zoned high-density housing project has to be allowed to move forward.

However, Mario Anaya, the city’s director of community development, said that doesn’t make it a free-for-all. Any potential future builder must meet the city’s established rules for any project that they propose. And there’s not a construction proposal on the table yet.

“One thing the public should note: There’s no specific project now,” he said. “And even though there’s not a discretionary process in the future if this rezoning is approved, projects still have to go through site-plan review.”

In the meantime, Mayor Patrick Isherwood said the council is aware of neighbors’ safety and quality-of-life concerns, and they intend to review and update city ordinances to preserve the neighborhood’s quiet atmosphere.

“How can we button that up?” Isherwood said. “How can we address those concerns so that when a project comes in front of us, we have these additional items further addressed? We can work through that.”

Vice Mayor Steve Harrell wanted definite protections in place, and he would eventually cast the only no vote against adopting the zoning change and approval of the state-mandated update to the housing element of the city’s general plan.

“I would be more comfortable with something that’s more concrete, that we’re going to protect these people’s privacy, do something about traffic control, traffic calming measures and things like that,” he said. “To be perfectly honest at this point I cannot support this.”

Tulare Experiencing State-Ordered Growing Pains

Rezoning the 10 acres in question presented a perfect opportunity for Tulare to complete and submit a state-required update to the housing element of its general plan. Adding the pocket of high-density housing was the final piece needed to meet the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirement for the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

A city’s RHNA (pronounced ree-nah) is an examination of the city’s housing needs based on income and household size. The HCD requires all cities to update their version on an eight-year cycle, and there are eventual consequences for missing the deadline. When Tulare fell short of the high-density requirement by 95 acres in 2018, HCD threatened legal action and fines.

Despite beginning fact-finding in 2022 for the current RHNA, the city is now years behind schedule.

“Each year they seem to have more requirements, and this sixth cycle, if you ask any planner in California that’s worked on it, it was really a gauntlet,” Anaya, the city’s community development director, said. “It took a lot of effort, a lot of years to put together. In hindsight, we would have started earlier. Because here we are kind of behind. We should have had the new one adopted in 2024, so we’re about two years late.”

Tulare wasn’t the only tardy city in Tulare County. Eventually under the umbrella of the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), every city in the county joined forces to complete the more than 500 pages of data needed to satisfy the HCD. During the four-year-long process, the city received only one written comment until the final approval process began.

The update to the housing element of Tulare’s general plan was reviewed by the city’s Planning Commission last month, unanimously approved and then forwarded to the city council. It came with a recommendation of adoption.

Too Much Power and Outdated Outlooks

Despite the state mandate requiring cities to address the housing needs of all their citizens, there was still the claim it represents an overreach of state authority the city should perhaps ignore.

“All I’m asking is to maintain it the way it is, regardless of what Sacramento is trying to push on us,” Del Lago resident Tucker told the council. “Sacramento will be changing soon, because we have an election coming up. So the policies we have now may not be in place in the future.”

While pushing back against the notion that high-density housing leads to bad outcomes, such as increased crime, Councilwoman Terry Sayre said old and familiar biases seemed to be at the root of some of the objections to the rezoning plan.

“I also represent the West Side, and so I’m aware of some of the feelings that are traditional in Tulare about the difference between west and east sides,” she said. “I don’t think the tracks actually delineate people’s worthiness. It’s a mindset that’s been in Tulare a long time.”

According to the TCAG Sixth Cycle report for 2023-2031, Tulare has 4,749 households in total. Of those, 1,435 (30.2%) have very low incomes of less than 50% of the area median income (AMI). Another 884 households (18.6%) have low incomes of 50% to 80% of the AMI; 677 households (14.3%) have moderate incomes of 80% to 120% of the AMI; and the largest and richest portion – 1,753 households (36.9%) – have incomes greater than 120% of the AMI.

Tulare grew by 16.7% between the 2010 and 2020 census counts. That’s more than three and a half times the rate of Tulare County’s growth, and nearly three times the growth rate of the entire state. Yet 77.4% of Tulare’s housing is single-family detached homes.

“We don’t have a lot of variety in our housing stock,” Anaya said. “We kind of produce a lot of the same type, and the needs in our households have changed over the decades, so we’re kind of seeing that bear out a little bit with the data.”

The official conclusion is Tulare needs a wider variety of housing options for all income levels. The county as a whole also needs a greater diversity of housing types. Single-family detached homes make up 75% of available housing, compared with 57.7% statewide.

The post Tulare OKs high-density housing zone besides high-end Del Lago appeared first on Valley Voice.

Qualifications to Apply: Must be a registered voter within the district and must not have been a trustee of the district within the last 5 years.

Functions: Set policy, ensure legal compliance, oversee financial stewardship, and provide strategic direction for the district while maintaining ethical and transparent governance. The Board has employed a District Manager to carry out policy, direct district operations, provide day-to-day supervision of staff and control and administer district expenditures.

Requirements to Serve: Complete Ethics training, Sexual Harassment and Prevention training, Virtual Board Compliance training, and Fiscal & Financial training every two years; complete a Statement of Economic Interest FORM 700 upon assuming office, and annually thereafter.

Initial Term of Appointment: Three Seats will expire January 3, 2028, and Two Seats will expire January 7, 2030

Compensation: $100 for each regular meeting attended, and $25 for each special board meeting attended.

How to Apply:

Option 1: Complete online application at https://tularecounty.ca.gov/clerkoftheboard/boards-and-commissions/

Option 2: Request an application and email completed application to clerkoftheboard@tularecounty.ca.gov

Deadline to Apply: 12:00 p.m., Friday, April 17, 2026

If you have any questions, please contact the Clerk of the Board office at clerkoftheboard@tularecounty.ca.gov or (559) 636-5002.

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