At 10:30am, the California State Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services will decide whether or not to fund a laundry list of proposals. The proposal to fund the Tulare Local Healthcare District’s turnaround efforts won’t be on that list.

Assemblyman Devon Mathis brought the issue to the subcommittee. He states that Democrats found the hospital to be too risky to save.

“Capitol Democrats stated that the hospital is too big of a risk and gamble to bail out. They have concerns regarding the litigation and when the hospital will actually reopen,” a statement from Mathis’ office reads. “There are 70,000 people in Tulare who don’t have access to a hospital, and big city politicians don’t seem to care.”

Justin Turner, Mathis’ chief of staff, said Mathis and his staff have been working throughout the month to try to see the proposal through to a vote; he was even working on swaying legislators late into last night, after the agenda was published.

“Around 9:30pm we got the word that Democratic leadership thought it was too big of a risk,” Turner said.

A delegation of community members from Tulare previously spoke to the subcommittee on May 8.

“Anyone can go to the Kaweah Delta Hospital in Visalia and see the two tents that are pitched, and see so many people. And I recognize those people,” Xavier Avila, a district board member, told legislators at that time. “They’re sick, they’re in pain, they have fevers, they have injuries. And they don’t know when they’re gonna be seen by a doctor — and it’s horrifying to see that.”

A Lower Amount May Be In Play

“They did say that they will possibly reconsider for a different amount when the Democratic and Republican leadership meet with the governor; we’re hopeful, but it sounds like a long shot,” Turner said.

Rich Gianello, one of the district’s turnaround consultants, had previously told the subcommittee that a reopening would take anywhere from $18-22m.

He stressed to the subcommittee members that their funding wouldn’t be used to pay off pre-bankruptcy debt, and would only be used to reopen the hospital.

Mathis’ office, in a press release, advised citizens to reach out to the Assembly Budget Committee at 916-319-2099 and demand the proposal be heard and voted on.

“Mr. Mathis and our office is not done working on this. We are going to work for other avenues of approach to get this done. We really want to keep working on this. Mr. Mathis doesn’t mind burning all political capital to get this open,” Turner said.

“The hospital’s new management is working night and day to get the doors back open. I’ll keep fighting with the same dedication to find a solution that brings health care access back to our community,” Mathis said.

The post Tulare hospital’s $22m funding proposal shot down appeared first on Valley Voice.

The music was beyond annoyance level for some residents of Sunrise Estates, within one-half mile from the center. Two residents called the Agri-Center voicing their concerns. Three spoke during the public comment forum during a recent Tulare City Council meeting, as recommended to them by Agri-Center staff. The neighbors did not lodge formal complaints with local police, but they wanted to express their concern and to discourage a repeat of the noise levels.

Complaints to Council

“My home is very close to the International Agri-Center,” said Amy Smith, “approximately one-half mile as the crow flies. An almond orchard is all that separates my home from the Agri-Center property.

“The Agri-Center has hosted many successful events since we moved into our home in 2006. Occasionally we can hear some noise from Agri-Center activities, but it has never been a problem for us before. On the weekend of March 17-19, 2017, the International Agri-Center hosted a three-day music festival. While I understand that this event was successful, which benefits all Tulare residents, my family and I were adversely affected by the constant loud music.

“During the three-day event, we were able to clearly hear the concert music inside of our home, with all the doors and windows closed. Not only was the music volume excessive but it lasted until 10pm each night. Ten pm is way past the bedtime of my nine-year-old daughter and six-year-old son, especially on a school night. My children had difficulty falling asleep all weekend because of the loud concert music.”

Smith said she understood that city council had approved the permit for the event. She asked that the council “carefully” review all requests in the future regarding noise level and event hours.

“It is completely unreasonable for a property owner to clearly hear concert music within the walls of their home from an event that is one-half mile away,” she said.

Neighbor Laura Yeager also addressed the issue.

“The Agri-Center is a wonderful venue for many people to enjoy,” Yeager said.

“However, on the evenings of March 17, 18 and 19, the concert music was so loud that my children couldn’t sleep,” she said. “Seven o’clock is when I usually but my kids down, and the music was going until at least 10pm. I understand on Fridays and Saturdays, because that’s the weekend – but Sunday night was really difficult because the children had to get up at 6am the next morning and function on very little sleep.”

She asked that a discussion be held at a later date to talk about decibel levels and Agri-Center contracts.

She ended by saying, “Again, I completely support the Agri-Center – it’s not that I don’t want events happening out there. I think it’s truly great. But, I would like the noise level to come down, just a little bit.”

Jennifer Harlan revealed that she has lived in Sunrise Estates since July, 2013 and said, she “had never had a concern like this before.”

“The music and the announcements could be heard through our walls and our windows even when closed,” she said. “I have recordings from within my house and from my backyard that I would be happy to share.

“I would like it to be noted that it was EXTREMELY disruptive to my family especially to my children as they could not go to sleep. This negatively impacted my children the following day, as they were tired and did not get proper rest for school. I know my children were NOT alone in this incident. I am a school psychologist and I work for Tulare City, and PROPER sleep is CRITICAL for a child.

Harlan said she had contacted and spoke with Ben Brubaker at the International Agri-Center.

“He was very apologetic about the noise, and he said that he wants to have a good relationship with the community. . .

“He also shared with me that with the new overpass coming that they are going to be booking a lot more venues and concerts. I fear that this is going to become a regular occurrence, and I don’t want it to negatively impact our neighborhood. I feel like others and myself in the community would like to know that this won’t be repeated.”

Harlan “urged” the council to come up with a plan to address future events.

Agri-Center Response

Officials from the Agri-Center were indeed disturbed to hear of the problem – a problem they hope to prevent again in the future. The center property is about one-half within city limits and one-half within county limits, said Brubaker, facility rentals manager.

The center staff wants to assure that it follows city and council ordinances, he said, something he feels the center can help do itself, but purchasing a decibel reader.

According to Tulare’s code for amplified sound noise standards, “Sound or noise produced by sound amplification equipment used at all city parks and other city facilities shall be measured at points not greater than 100 feet from the sound source within city parks or facilities and shall not exceed 85 decibels.”

Brubaker said that tests can be given when amplified sound is to be used at an event to assure that the noise level is below the upper limits. The center is not accustomed to having many concert-type events that amplify sound during evening hours, he said. But, that is something that could increase in the future.

Brubaker also commented that the center is looking into updating its rental contract to include the city and county codes for noise levels. Reducing noise from carrying options include using a different area of the grounds, as well as having the speakers regulated as to how far they will push sound.

“We are actually pursuing other opportunities for Tulare,” said Brubaker, who formerly was the city’s chamber of commerce director. “We’re looking to help Tulare become a destination.”

Much of what the Agri-Center is hoping to attract is agriculture in nature, or related in some way, such as livestock shows, horse shows and more.

Prior to Pueblo Fest, noise complaints were not an issue with the center – atleast, as far as Tulare Sergeant Andy Garcia can remember. Recent records did not reveal any formal complaints. And, similarly, no complaints were filed in proximity of the Tulare County Fairgrounds during last year’s fair.

With the success of Pueblo Fest, producers are looking to make it an annual event. They have booked the Agri-Center for the same weekend next year.

The post March’s Pueblofest, Not Enjoyed by All appeared first on Valley Voice.

Mederos grew up on a dairy and diversified farm just four miles from Tulare. He graduated from Tulare Western High School, College of the Sequoias and Cal Poly. He returned to the family dairy after graduating college and became a partner in P & M Farms with his father, uncle and cousin. Later he was the owner of a dairy and farm with his cousin Larry Pires for over 15 years operating under the business name of Pires and Mederos Dairy. In 1996, Mederos branched off on his own and began farming with his wife Leslie as Doug Les Farms.

Today Mederos farms over 1,000 acres, which includes land he owns, leases, and custom farms for others. He primarily farms cotton, beans, alfalfa, corn, almonds and pistachios.

Mederos has a long and distinguished record of community service and leadership. He is currently president of the Oak Valley School Board, which he was elected to serve on as a trustee in 1999. For over 20 years he has been a board member of the Mid Valley Cotton Growers. He is a past director and current member in the Tulare County Cabrillo Civic Club. He has also been involved in youth sports for many years, and served as an assistant coach to the TWHS boys and girls golf teams.

Mederos has been involved with the Tulare Softball Association and Tulare Little League, as well as the TWHS Volleyball team and Soccer club. In addition he has been a proud sponsor of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and the National Alliance for Mental Illness here in Tulare County.

Mederos and his wife, Leslie, have three children, Jared, Tyler, and Madison. He has been a lifelong resident of Tulare and a proud local leader and civic member of the community.

Tickets are available at Garton Tractor, Machado Hay, and Rabobank in Tulare. For information contact Celeste Moore, event chair at (559) 686-5854.

The post Tulare Kiwanis Club to Honor Doug Mederos, Farmer of the Year Award appeared first on Valley Voice.

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.

The post FFA Chapters Plan a Variety of Activities for National FFA Week appeared first on Valley Voice.

Tulare Chamber of Commerce CEO Ben Brubaker had spent time visiting with other chambers up and down the state, with the intent of learning their practices and outreach programs, he said.

“I started putting it together,” he said.

By putting it together, Brubaker, and staff, reached out to various entities aimed at helping local business, creating Team Tulare which now involves the chamber, Business Finance Center, Small Business Development Center, Tulare Downtown Association and the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County. The group started meeting and developed a plan for Business Walks to occur each month.

Last month the team held its first walk, visiting 56 businesses in a three-by-three block radius, between J Street and L Street, and Cross Street to Tulare Avenue, to see what issues might be of concern in their locale.

“The purpose of the Business Walks is to increase awareness and improve communications between Team Tulare and its partners, including the City and business owners. Our goal is to identify needs, challenges and opportunities for local businesses and to provide services and resources when necessary,” according to the Team’s report given at a recent City Council meeting.

The first walk consisted of 10 team members from each of the team’s entities. Divided into teams of two, each business representative was asked two key questions:

• What challenges do you face doing business in downtown Tulare?
• How can we help your business succeed?

However, Team members listened to any concerns or issues business owners and managers wanted to share, Brubaker said.

In its report, business owners and managers expressed concerns centered on safety and the homeless community, as well as the transit center, destruction of property, and sanitation and trash.

A summary of input and requests included:

• Businesses willingly provided input on issues surrounding overall unsafe feeling of customers, staff and owners – “We are moving,”  “Theft is rampant”.
• Other concerns included the transit center, property owners’ lack of care, communication with the city, and dumpster issues.
• Businesses were appreciative of the visit and for information on the upcoming Business Safety Meeting.

More specifically some business owners expressed concerns of safety with regard to aggressive panhandlers. Some went so far as to say they have to keep their doors locked during the day. Others commented on the homeless community sleeping and using local outside areas, such as planters, for restrooms. These concerns all wrapped around being detrimental for business.

The Team arranged for a meeting to be held between concerned business owners and/or managers and the Tulare Police Department, including its chief, to address these matters. This meeting went beyond the TPD regular Business Watch meetings to help the TPD understand general and specific issues to the specific areas involved, and to help business owners understand TPD roles in assisting them.

Outside of the newly formed Team Tulare, it is and has been part of Julie Franco’s job as TPD community service officer to reach out to businesses and hold regular Business Watch meetings, she said.

For her regular Business Watch meetings, only businesses she has reached out to and been in contact with are invited, she said. However, any business owner is welcome to contact her regarding non-urgent matters.

State Farm agent Renee Soto was one of the 56 businesses visited on Team Tulare’s first walk.

“I support it,” she said. “If the chamber is hearing the voice of the business owner, that’s a very good thing.”

Soto also happens to sit on the chamber board and was planning to walk in the May Business Walk.

“I want to be a part of it,” she said.

“We are definitely seeing our struggles down here,” she added, referring to the downtown corridor.

But the Business Walk is not aimed just at downtown. The May walk is taking them to South K Street and future walks involve a variety of areas throughout town, Brubaker said.

Different walks will be centered on different topics, but business owners are welcome to bring up anything that concerns them and their business.

“There may be issues that no one was really aware of and that we can help solve,” Brubaker said.

“This [Team Tulare] is along the lines in keeping business and improving business already here,” he said.

Although potentially new business owners are also welcome to get involved.

The post Team Tulare Takes to the Streets for Business Owners appeared first on Valley Voice.