It has been a turbulent few weeks for the City of Tulare with citizens questioning their choice in electing council members and the city’s training of its police force. During the April 3 city council meeting public comment period, many had something to say, and each had only three minutes to comment. Patrick Isherwood, a […]
The old-fashion communication of letter writing has returned with a continued exchange between Tulare’s City Attorney Heather Phillips and Michael Lampe, the attorney for former Police Chief Wes Hensley. The former chief was fired on March 20, one week shy of one-half year following his placement on paid administrative leave, and following some two-plus months […]
There was an unfamiliar sound coming from the Tulare Public Cemetery District Meeting, the sound of laughter. Between the public taking one last opportunity to get old complaints off its chest, and the occasional joke coming from the normally stoic Trustee Alberto Aguilar, Tulare Public Cemetery District got its groove back. Xavier Avila, the newest […]
Some legal woes of the Tulare Local Healthcare District could soon be resolved, after the district’s board of directors voted to settle lawsuits with Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA). HCCA, the management company which formerly oversaw operations of the district’s Tulare Regional Medical Center, was involved in two cases with the district: one legal action […]
Tulare’s leadership has changed yet again. Its temporary leadership, more precisely. The change happened Monday, March 26, during a special closed session city council meeting. On March 20, the city’s police chief, Wes Hensley, was fired by the then city manager, Joe Carlini. A few hours later, Carlini was himself fired by city council during […]
Following the termination of Tulare Police Chief Wes Hensley on Tuesday, March 20, Hensley’s attorney, Michael Lampe, has requested a Skelly hearing, two days later. In a letter to Tulare City Attorney Heather Phillips dated March 22, Lampe states – We view the “without cause” language in the March 20 Notice of Termination as a […]
Big shakeups hit Tulare on Tuesday, March 20, when its police chief, Wes Hensley, was fired in the late afternoon by the city manager, Joe Carlini, who was subsequently fired during a closed session of city council that evening. Hensley had been on paid administrative leave since September 27 of last year, and had been […]
Tulare’s mayor has picked another fight–this time with the board of the Tulare Local Health Care District (TLCHD)–and his target isn’t taking it lying down. Fighting Words At some point in early February, Mayor Carlton Jones took to the internet to attack the TLCHD Board of Directors, accusing them of failing to reopen Tulare Regional […]
A Tulare development two decades in the planning is about to start. “We’re trying our best to start construction as soon as possible,” said Ted Lim, a spokesman for The Orosco Group based in Monterey. The project, a strip mall at the southwest corner of Cross Ave. and J St., has long been a dream […]
Healthcare Conglomerate Associates’ (HCCA) management of the Southern Inyo Healthcare District’s hospital was ineffective, hindered the hospital’s regulatory compliance, and was fiscally irresponsible, a legal filing by the district claims. The filing also repeats claims that the Tulare-based hospital management company shared money and supplies between the Southern Inyo district, which owns the Southern Inyo […]