Haven’t played the sport yet?  No problem!  A local pickleball enthusiast has volunteered his time and talent to help promote the game.  He will be on hand to demonstrate and teach pickleball for the next three Saturdays, October 14, 21 and 28, starting at 9am.  The lessons are completely free and all the equipment will be provided.

Pickleball is a low impact paddle sport that is easy to learn and play.  It is traditionally played on a badminton- sized court with special paddles and perforated balls that are slightly smaller than a whiffle ball.  Created for all ages and skill levels, the simple rules of the game make it easy for beginners to learn, yet fast-paced and competitive for more advanced players.

Come out and see why pickleball is the latest craze among all ages.  For more information, contact Parks and Leisure Services at (559) 782-7536 or visit www.ci.porterville.ca.us.  Follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

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This business-to-business team competition is said to be the ultimate team-building experience. Games include: cornhole, volleyball, spelling bee, archery, home run derby, bowling, footgolf, basketball challenge and an Obstacle Course. Organizations in the Porterville area including schools, churches, service organizations, businesses, non-profit and government agencies may also complete.

The following shows how easy it is for your company to compete in the Games:

Team Rosters: A team will consist of a minimum of 6 individuals with at least 2 being women. Each event is coed with some events requiring at least one woman and some events at least two women. There is a maximum of 25 per company roster. Each company competes in each event but different people on the roster may participate in different events.

Select a Captain: The Company Captain is the main contact between your company and the PCG Staff in order to assure information is communicated effectively. The Captain will handle administrative functions associated with registration and verification of participation rosters and attend the Captain’s Briefing. Captains will also prepare and organize the team to play each event and assure that the team is on time for each game.

The Corporate Cup: The ultimate goal of competing in the PCG is to win the prestigious Corporate Cup. Points are awarded to the top six finishers in each event, and are accumulated throughout the Games. The company with the highest point total at the end of the tournament wins the 2017 Corporate Cup, which will be presented at the Closing Ceremony.

Medals: In addition to earning points for your company; Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded to the top 3 teams of each event. The medals will be presented to the winning team members at the close of each event.

Employee Eligibility and Regulations: Each participant must be an employee of the participating company who has been on the payroll for the last 15 days prior to the start of the Games. If a participant is deemed ineligible by PCG Staff after having already participated in an event, that team will be disqualified from the event and 10 points will be deducted from that teams score, regardless of the results of the event. Any medals or awards will be removed from the company and reassigned. Any participant under 18 years old must be a current employee of the company. Retired employees of participating companies are encouraged to participate provided the individual has written permission from the company with identification.

Spouses: Each company may independently decide whether they will allow spouses of employees to participate in the Games as a representative of their organization. For smaller companies, allowing spouses to compete may help increase their participation levels.

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Central Valley Christian

Central Valley Christian is in its first year of the FFA Program. Students have been involved in variety of local social and fundraising events, and their first competitive events have been in the public speaking realm. The Citrus Judging Team has been active in competition, and the Farm Power & Machinery, Livestock Judging, Dairy Judging and Dairy Products teams are all gearing up for competitions this spring.

They are keeping it “low key” for FFA Week this year, as they ease their way into the FFA World. Plans for the week include a fundraiser event, Kiss the Cow. How it works – the teacher on campus that has the most money in their milk jar at the end of the week, has to kiss the cow. The plan is to give part of the proceeds to charity. In addition to Kiss the Cow, the school will have an Ag Fact read over the morning announcements, each day. They will also be holding Dress-Up Days to earn points, and the winning class receives a prize.

Dinuba

The Dinuba FFA has been active in many ways so far this year. They have had competitions in Cotton Judging and Vine Pruning. They are preparing for Speech, Veterinary Science, Nursery Landscape and Floral contests. This FFA Chapter also hosts a pet food drive for The Cat House on the Kings. Any donations are welcome! This project is student driven from the Ag Leadership class. Other projects coming from the class include an Autism Awareness Day and celebration, while others are helping out at a homeless shelter by helping hand out food.

The group continues to train Guide Dogs for the Blind and is currently training three dogs. Students learn to train dogs for future owners, and are with their dog 24/7. The Veterinary Science class members have the chance to learn to care for these dogs by bathing, brushing teeth, applying parasitic applications, grooming and cleaning their ears. They currently have a dog that has gone through all her training and will be graduating and given to a new owner. Dinuba FFA’s Madasen Gutierrez will with sadness and excitement go to this ceremony and watch a person in need of a dog receive her dog, Gazele.

El Diamante

Since 1947, National FFA week has been celebrated throughout schools, including Visalia’s very own El Diamante FFA chapter.

“It’s a great way to get our members involved and give peers a little sneak peak of some of the fun we have to offer as FFA members,” said Jenna Toor, chapter secretary.

This chapter hopes to bring awareness to FFA and agriculture throughout the school’s student body during FFA Week by hosting various lunchtime activities including Potato Sack races, a Corn Hole competition and Kick Ball tournament. Agriculture-themed dress-up days, and a feature in the school’s weekly video production of EdHews, will be offered.

One of their most iconic activities they have done in the past is their Kiss a Cow fundraiser. One of our chapter members brings a cow, or steer, they plan to show in the Tulare County Fair, and volunteer teachers are lined up, as well as students, so they can give the cow a little smooch!

“One of our biggest goals within our chapter, which applies throughout FFA, is promoting agriculture,” Toor said. “As FFA Week approaches, we plan to use this as an opportunity to excite and educate our members about the importance of agricultural education and to open their eyes to the influence of the industry, and how it affects their daily lives as humans and citizens of the Central Valley. We are constantly encouraging our members to take what they learn in the classroom, and whether it be educating another or participating in a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), appreciate what agriculture has to offer.”

Exeter

The focus for the Exeter Chapter is to have a complete agriculture education program that consists of the three circles: FFA, classroom and SAE. On the farm, Exeter FFA has a horticulture unit, livestock units and a full agriculture mechanics shop. They offer a wide variety of courses to meet the needs of their students. Exeter has 430 FFA members who all have different interests. They offer hands on learning and leadership opportunities for all students.

The Exeter FFA chapter has four days planned packed with fun activities for FFA Week. Some of the activities include a Dodgeball Tournament, a Giant Game of Clumps, a Staff Appreciation Lunch, and their annual Bed Races. A highlight of the week is the Bed Race activity. It consists of carts made out of bed frames, assembled by past agriculture mechanics classes that are pushed by a team of students around a track on campus. The teacher team is always the one to beat! Exeter FFA is looking forward to this awesome week and providing a special experience its members and students.

Farmersville

The largest focus of the Farmersville FFA chapter is to bring agriculture awareness and promote the countless opportunities within the organization to the students of Farmersville High School. The FFA program at Farmersville High School is growing. With growth, comes an opportunity to educate students about all of the opportunities to develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success. This year’s goal has been to get students involved in more leadership activities, attend more conferences, to become involved in career development events, and increase student understanding and participation in supervised agriculture experience program.

The Farmersville FFA Chapter has some big plans for FFA Week. Each day there will be a themed dress-up day, as well as a scheduled lunchtime activity. Dress-up days include Animal Day, Western Day, Camouflage Day, and Blue-Gold Day. Some of the exciting lunchtime activities will be performed in the center of campus and will be open to the entire student body. Activities for FFA week are Chubby Chicken (a spin on the popular Chubby Bunny game), a cookie eating contest, Cow Pies (melted chocolate bar guessing game), and an obstacle course. The officer team is hard at work to plan fun activities to bring a positive awareness to FFA at Farmersville High School.

Hanford

Hanford FFA is ready to kick off FFA week on February 20th-24th with a bang! They have multiple lunchtime activities planned for its members, and are looking forward to all student bodies getting involved. Some of the lunchtime activities include Supermarket Sweep, Penny in a Haystack, and a Minute to Win It relay. All games are agriculturally oriented. Supermarket Sweep, for example, helps strengthen the members’ knowledge of California’s top commodities through riddles and a scavenger hunt. FFA week will also consist of school-wide dress up days. These days include Twin Day, Western Day, Blue and Gold Day, and Freedom Friday, which is a patriotic day. Along with these activities Hanford FFA is holding a free lunch time BBQ on each campus throughout the week.

This year Hanford FFA is encouraging their members to “Think Outside the Barn.” They hope through this chapter theme, they will be able to break the stigma behind FFA. Hanford FFA wants their students and school population to know that FFA is much more than farm animals, and farming. It offers leadership opportunities, SAEs outside of animal agriculture, and valuable skills that will benefit students for a lifetime. They are excited to see the chapter grow and continue to help the community through various community service events.

Lemoore

Each year Lemoore FFA conducts an annual Community Pumpkin Patch for preschoolers through third graders, partners with local elementary school classes to implement the Partners in Active Learning (PALS) program, assists with the Kings County Fair cleanup days, conducts canned food drive for local Christian Aid, and provides tour guides for Kings County Farm Day. They have installed a drought tolerant landscape for the City of Lemoore. Lemoore FFA is proud of its more than 25-year history in raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, which developed its recognition as a FFA SAE project by the National FFA Association two years ago.

During FFA Week, Lemoore FFA will host a schoolwide dress up days including The Owl, when students may dress up like their favorite wise-old nerd; The Plow, when students may dress up as a farmer or in Western wear, The Flag, when students are to dress up in patriotic colors, and Blue and Gold Day, FFA colors.

Other Activities throughout the Week include the airing of a promo video with a thank you to staff and others for supporting FFA, a Clue Game with advisors – new clues given out daily to see which advisor did the dastardly deed, and a Kiss the Cow event involving the entire school.

Monache

Monache has about 400 students involved in FFA with three teachers. Some 24 hogs, 10 sheep and a hundred chickens are kept on the campus farm, some of which will be shown at the Porterville Fair in May. The club hosts a Farmers Market on the farm, held on March 4 this year, with student-grown produce and plants available, as well as floral arrangements and other items.

Monache High School FFA has something planned for every day of FFA Week. A Trivia Day will be held in class and a Tailgate party after school. There will be a Teacher Appreciation lunch and a FFA Mini contest on Friday, where students will participate in a variety of Career Development events in each class.

Sequoia High

Sequoia FFA received its charter last year. Its focus is on Natural Resources and Forestry. The program currently works in collaboration with Reedley Junior College to offer a dual enrollment course in Chainsaw Operations, and Sequoia FFA works closely with Sequoia National Park for service learning projects.

Last year, Sequoia FFA won the Western Region Hartzog Award, and had the opportunity to meet the then Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewel when she visited the Cesar Chavez Memorial, last October. Through this program, students receive employment and internships with the National Park Service. Sequoia FFA is excited to continue expanding their unique program.

For FFA Week, Sequoia FFA will be having a Logging Sport competition and a Salsa Making contest, in addition to doing community service projects in the National Park.

Strathmore

Strathmore FFA celebrates National FFA Week in many ways. This year, the chapter officers have planned a different lunchtime activity for each day. They also plan to hand out a special treat on each day. All members and non-members are encouraged to get in on the fun. The chapter also puts on its annual Drive Thru Dinner. The money raised will be put toward sending members to the State and National Conventions, and scholarships for seniors. The Drive Thru Dinner will be held on February 23, from 4-6pm at the Strathmore Ag Department Parking Lot.
Strathmore FFA’s strongest and most popular areas are hogs and chickens. But, they also have a growing Floral and Ornamental Horticulture component to their program. They have a Crop Box (indoor hydroponics growing system), several greenhouses, and an aquaponics system going up this year.

A California Ag Curriculum is taught during FFA Week to celebrate and help further knowledge of the importance of California agriculture.

Tulare

Tulare High School Farm is home to the Tulare High School Agriculture Program and Tulare FFA. This is one of the most unique agriculture programs in the United States, due to the fact that its site is separate from the three campuses it serves – Tulare Union High School, Tulare Western High and Mission Oak High School. Additionally, this site is home to the programs 60-acre commercial farming operation and its Land ‘O Lakes affiliated 100 cow dairy. These facilities offer students a truly hands-on experience in agriculture as it prepares students to be college and career ready.

In February, the Tulare High School Agriculture Program celebrates National FFA week differently than others by making it a month-long event. Already under way, Tulare FFA promotes FFA and Agriculture during the entire month of February. Tulare FFA members will visit each of the 14 feeder schools into the Tulare Joint High School District, promoting FFA and agriculture. Also, Tulare FFA will host the Sequoia Sectional FFA Public Speaking Contest, the San Joaquin Regional FFA meeting, the Tulare FFA Blue and Gold Dash, and many of the members of the Tulare FFA chapter are donating many hours of community service in the support of the events and operation of the World Ag Expo – the largest showcase of agriculture in the world. The members of Tulare FFA understand that we all celebrate agriculture each and every day – three times a day, at meal times.

Woodlake

The Woodlake FFA chapter focuses on the success and involvement of its members. It highly encourages members to be active by joining CDE teams, attend sectional and regional activities, and participate in our chapter level leadership and team building. Advisors put in a lot of effort and time to see this chapter succeed. The program has grown in size and score over the past four years, and hopes are to accomplish more by getting others involved.

For FFA Week, the officer team came up with dress-up days and activities to celebrate the mission of FFA. Dress-up Days include: Tuesday is Tuxes and Tiaras, when FFA members will dress in formal business attire, Wednesday is Western Wear (country apparel), Thursday is Tiger Pride Thursday, when members will wear school colors of orange and black for the annual Donkey Basketball game that afternoon, and Friday is FFA Friday where members will wear a lot of National Blue and Corn Gold to represent the colors of FFA.

Activities planned include a Decorated Door competition, in which teachers will decorate their classroom doors with a theme of agriculture and organize their teaching content, so that each teacher can show their students how agriculture relates to their school subject. The officer team will judge the classroom doors and whoever does the best job will receive the award of a pizza party for lunch. Another activity, is a mini CDE field day on campus, where advisors will host different CDE competitions to promote involvement in FFA Competition teams. The annual Donkey Basketball game is held against Exeter FFA. This event will take place on Thursday, February 23, in the Woodlake High School Old Gym facility. Tickets are available at the door. Woodlake FFA plans carefully in order to make their FFA week fun and informational for members and the community.

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The show was the concept of Porterville Art Association members Bill Warner and Frances Pyles. They wanted to hold a show in which the artists wouldn’t take things so seriously.

“It wasn’t that there needed to be a hole plugged,” Pyles said.

So, it wasn’t that there needed to be another show, but rather that some members just wanted to have one.
“Art should be fun,” Warner said.

“This was real liberating,” Pyles said. “You could blow it for a serious show. There were no worries doing this.”
But, not all artists who entered agree with her.

“Doing bad art was not easy at all,” said local artist George Tanimoto. “There is so much variety in art – you don’t know what’s good or bad.”

There are three categories of bad art, according to the show –

• Rejected Work – honest artwork that was rejected either by a gallery, show or by the artist themselves.
• Tongue in Cheek – intentionally badly-designed art, done for a laugh.
• Commercial Junk – ugly junk done in bad taste.

COS psychology student Dravon Vega entered six pieces in the show – some work he had entered in another show, that did not sell, and three pieces he painted specifically for the show.

“My work is kind of odd and abstract,” he said, indicating it makes it a good fit for the show.

Vega is a relatively new painter, having started about a year ago, when he wanted an outlet in which to relax.

Several high school and college students have entered the show. Entry to the show was free for students, with a limit of three entries per person in each category. A nominal fee was charged for non-student entries.

Displaying bad art is not particularly new. The Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) in Massachusetts boasts it is “the world’s only museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition and celebration of bad art in all its forms.” The museum, which opened in 1994, is privately owned and maintains a collection of more than 500 works of “bad art,” of which 25 to 35 are on display at any given time. MOBA is quite popular and has been written about in numerous major newspapers and magazines, as well as “go to” guides for Massachusetts.

Pyles said she is surprised by the number of entries – in part, because this is the first time for the show, and in part, because she saw the reaction from other artists, who, she said, did not seem too excited about the show. They thought art should only be taken seriously, she said.

“Most of the board was really excited about it though,” Warner said. “Art [good or bad] should have an emotional impact.”

Pyles and Warner said they are very pleased with the amount of entries and interest in the show.

The show will be judged, for fun that is, prior to the artists’ reception, which takes place between 5-7 pm on the 28th. Many of the pieces are for sale.

The Porterville Art Association is looking to generate more interest in art within the community. It has regular art classes and has introduced new subject matter such as quilling and Zen doodle, as well as figure drawing.
The Porterville Art Association is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10am – 4 pm. The Bad Art Show runs through February 16. The Association Gallery and Gift Shop are located at 151 N. Main St. For more information regarding the show, call 782-9265, or 539-3243.

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Car show registration is from 8-10am; the show starts at 9 am ending at 2:30pm with the awards and pictures of the car and motorcycle winners. Various merchants will present custom plaques to the entry of their choice, between 11am-1pm. Mayor, police chief, “CHP” and Veterans’ picks, will be award as “Special Trophies”, to the car, motorcycle or pickup of choice, at 1pm. Also included are two memorial trophies honoring “Leland Ware” and “Ron Pack.”
Six major trophies will be awarded to the cars or pickups in the following categories: Engine, Paint, Upholstery, Under Construction and Best of Show. Best Custom and Stock Bike, will conclude the major trophies.

Raffle prize tickets, crafts, food and drinks will be available for purchase all day long. Raffle prize winners will be drawn thru out the day. An event shirt with a photo of your car, pickup or motorcycle will be available for purchase in the vendor area.

The show is open to all year models, with no restriction, as well as under construction vehicles. DJ Roy Macomber will spin the music at the Friday Pre-show Cruise Night on the 13th and Saturday during the show.
Pre-registration fee is $25 and $30 on the day of the show, which includes event T-shirt and dash plaque.

Entry forms are available at Sierra Street Rods, Designs by Dillon and various businesses around town. A registration form is also located in the show program guide. This lists the schedule of events, interest articles, as well as show supporters from 2016 and 2015 are in the guide. Show program guides are located at various business and restaurants around town.

Friday Cruise night starts at 5pm with a show and shine, and ends whenever, with drawing for the 50/50. Spectators are free at both the Cruise Night, and Car and Motorcycle show.

Friday, May 13 from 5-7 pm, offers another opportunity for pre-registration. This will be held at the Porterville Pizza Factory. All proceeds from the show go to area youth and community programs and activities. For more show information call Danny at (559) 359-6099 or Dan at (559) 789-2260.

There is still craft vendor space available at $25 per vendor booth. This is an ideal event for revenue generating for traditional craft vendors, as well an excellent opportunity for business and community organization marketing. Non-profit, information-only booths are available at no charge, as the Rollin Relics Car Club continues to promote community education. For more vendor information call Phyllis at (559) 359-1135

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More than 60 hiring vendors have already signed up for the fair, representing a variety of industries throughout the Valley. The list includes: AT & T, Bank of the Sierra, Blair Electric, California Diaries, California Highway Patrol, California Teaching Fellows Foundation, City of Porterville, Del Taco, Department of Corrections, Eagle Mountain Casino, Family Health Care Network, Foster Farms, Fresno Pacific University, Grocery Outlet, The Home Depot Store, Horizon Nut, Inshape, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Jaffa Mediterranean Grill, Kaweah Delta Health Care District, Land O’ Lakes, Lowes, Marshalls, Mom’s U Bake Pizza, Lowes, Maurice’s, NDS Manufacturing, Pacific Southwest Container, Pan American Bank, Panera, Randstad/Placement Pros, Plumbers, Pipefitters & Refrigeration, Fitters Apprenticeships, Porterville College, Porterville Developmental Center, Porterville Unified School District, Prime Communications, Primerica Financial Services, Pro Youth, Prompt Staffing, Railex, Redman Homes, Select Staffing, Setton Pistachio, Sierra Care at The Lake, Sierra Valley Rehab Center, Sierra View Medical Center, Subway, S3 Sanitation, Target, Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, Tucoemas Federal Credit Union, Tulare County Human Resources, Tulare County HHSA, Tulare County Early Education, Tulare County Sheriff Department, Tule River Indian Health Center Inc., U.S. Army, U.S. Army Corps. Of Engineers, U.S Marines, USA Staffing, Valley Health Care Center, Volt Workforce Solutions, VWR International. LLC, Walmart DC, Walmart Stores and Wendy’s.
The free event is open to the public. Attendees should dress appropriately for an interview and bring at least three copies of their resume. The event is funded by Porterville College and the Workforce Investment Board, an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services available upon request.

Porterville College is located at 100 East College Avenue in Porterville. For more information call (559) 788-1382 or visit www.portervillecollege.edu.

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