Mid Valley Times 6-11-20 E-edition

Thursday, June 11, 2020
Vol. 1, No. 50
Immanuel High hosts outdoor ceremony June 3 at football stadium
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Buoyed by overwhelming parent and student support, Im- manuel High School last week forged ahead with a live gradu- ation for its 57 members of the Class of 2020 during the COV- ID-19 crisis.
There were many changes to the school's traditional gradua- tion, which took place the eve- ning of June 3. For the first time, it was moved outdoors to the school's County Line Stadi- um, south of Reedley, from its usual site in the Reedley Men- nonite Brethren Church. The graduates were all spaced apart in two sections on each side of a stage area, and while most fam-
SeeIMMANUELonpage A16
A budget jolt in Sanger
Fresno County put on state's watch list after recent spike in positive cases
MVT Staff Report
Fresno County cities in- cluding Reedley and Sanger this week continued to reopen businesses as part of Califor- nia's Stage 3 of reopening, even as the county continued to have an increase in positive cases to the level that it's been placed on the state's watch list.
Fresno County, along with Tulare County, earlier this week was placed on the Cali- fornia Department of Public Health's "targeted engage- ment" list. Both counties have what is termed elevated disease transmission. Many of Fresno's spike in cases
SeeOPENINGSonpage A16
Candlelight vigil for George Floyd to be held June 12 in Reedley
MVT Staff Report
A community candlelight vigil in honor of George Floyd will be held starting at 7 p.m. Friday, June 12, at Pioneer Park, G Street between 8th and 9th streets in downtown Reedley.
The candlelight vigil will honor the memory of Floyd and "so many taken too soon," organizers say. Floyd is the African-American man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck dur- ing an arrest in Minnesota on May 25.
In respect of others, organizers ask that all participants wear a mask.
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Some of Immanuel High School's 57 graduating seniors stood in front of their socially-distanced chairs after filing into County Line Stadium during a live graduation ceremony on June 3. A crowd estimated at nearly 1,000 people attended the live graduation in what may have been the gathered ceremony in Fresno County since California instituted guidelines discouraging group gatherings after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
50 cents
Coronavirus Update — Reopening California, Stage 3
More openings include live graduation
Measure S funds
take a beating in
proposed cuts
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
Numbers for the economic down- turn due to the COVID-19 pandem- ic’s shelter-in-place orders won’t be known until August or September, when final quarter numbers come in, but the city of Sanger is bracing for what may likely be a challenging
new fiscal year.
“We’re going to perform worse
than expected,” said Bret Harmon, the city of Sanger’s Administrative Services Director, while discussing the 2020-2021 fiscal year budget at the June 4 council meeting.
Though the city’s general fund will likely take a hit, Harmon said the city’s Measure S (Public Safety) fund will likely take the biggest hit and will see the most cuts.
The cuts, approved by the Mea- sure S Citizens Advisory Committee last month in a 4-1 vote, would involve moving two public safety positions
out of Measure S and paying them through other city funds, reducing the purchase of equipment such as tasers and handguns and leasing vehicles as opposed to purchasing them.
But the biggest cut, and the one that received the most community pushback, is the end of gang-preven- tion grants. This year, Sanger’s Boys and Girls Club and SAM Academy were expected to receive a total of $100,000 from the fund.
“These were not easy decisions to make,” expressed Harmon.
Joining the voices of concerned
See BUDGET on page A15
Familiar face takes over as principal at Orosi High
Marlena Celaya moves to
high school from nearby
El Monte Middle School
By George M. Villagrana
Mid Valley Times
Although Marlena Celaya is a newcom- er to this year’s administration at Orosi High School, she is not a total stranger to some of the students, staff and the com- munity.
Serving as principal of El Monte Mid- dle School the past two years, Celaya is now at the helm of Orosi.
Celaya said familiarity with the fresh- man and sophomore students plus prior experience puts her in a great position at the school.
“I’m so excited,” Celaya said. “I love the day-to-day grind the high school brings.”
Celaya added, “I’m excited to see the
kids I saw in seventh and eighth grade, now as freshman and sophomores, start- ing to make life decisions on what path- ways, academies, interests, potential col- leges and career choices.”
She said she made connections with parents and took pride in home visits.
“When COVID hit, I did 42 home visits in one week, just so that I knew our kids had devices in their hands and materials. Now that I’m more acclimated with the community it is more easier for me.”
Celaya, who is a 2003 graduate of Di- nuba High School, recently made a full move to Orosi and is just minutes from
See CELAYAonpageA15
Orosi High School / Photo Contributed
The baton at Orosi High School has been passed to Marlena Celaya from Roberto Vaca. Celaya takes over as the school's new principal; coming over from nearby El Monte Middle School.
More photos of the Immanuel High graduation are on Page A16
A profile on Roberto Vaca, outgoing Orosi High principal who has taken a position with the VIsalia Unified School Districtw, will be published in the June 18 issue of The Times.
Classifieds - A6 Directory - A11
Legals - A12-14 Sports - A9 Lifestyle - A7-8 Lights & Sirens - A3 Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4